2007 Burgundy – Values

The cellars of Faiveley in Nuits-St-George, the bins containing wine from vintages past, millions in total

Just one of the great things about Burgundy is that it is now an excellent place to look for a bargain. When I joined the wine trade x years ago, Burgundy had the reputation of being a) confusing and b) a rip-off. Now it’s seen as being merely a) confusing.

This sea change has occurred for a couple of easily understood reasons. Firstly, with a generational change Burgundy was suddenly full of wine makers and growers who were happy to look outside their borders to find out what was going on in the rest of the world. Indeed, many young bourguignons travelled to the New World to study, make wine and bring their new-found knowledge back home.

Suddenly, to the French philosophical way of making wine (Gallic shrug; nature does it) was added a healthy dollop of science. In essence, the wines became cleaner.

Secondly (and really part and parcel of “Firstly”), wine making equipment became more sophisticated.

It’s something of an irony that the “Sideways effect” – the surge in interest in Pinot Noir experienced in the US following the release of the film Sideways – has resulted in an upswing in sales of (cost price) €5 red burgundy. Well, they’re not going to find drinkable wine at that price in California or Oregon.

Last night, I was drinking the 2003 Santenay 1er Les Maladières of Domaine Lucien Muzard, a wine that appeared on a Bowes Wine offering some years ago. We sold it for £120 a dozen in bond and it is now absolutely delicious, having some of the vintage’s atypicality (having a good look at that word, since I’ve never typed it before; yup, seems okay), whilst managing not to be at all hot in any way. This is delicious burgundy for £13.30 on the table at today’s rates of duty and VAT; in other words, spectacularly cheap for what it is.

Racking red wine in a cellar in Vosne

So here’s our latest release of the 2007s, an offer relating to some of the fabulous bargains that I found during my recent burgundian journeyings. Running from north to south, red to (one) white:

Vintage	Wine	Drink dates	Case size	Price In Bond
2007	Nuits-St-Georges, Jean Chauvenet, Burgundy, France Notes: A ripe nose. There's something meaty here: a nuance that combines with aromas of spice and fresh, tangy black fruits. Tangy again on the palate: black plums and their skins. The tannins are well integrated, ripe and medium. Lovely profile here and the wine's very long. Really fresh in the mouth. Fine village example	2011-2016	12x75cl	£180.00
2007	Hautes Côtes de Nuits Le Prieuré, Aurelien Verdet, Burgundy, France Notes: The fruit on the nose is rich, very black and a touch animal. This is one cool wine, giving up a palate of black plum and smoke. This is very long and hints at minerality before the fine, nutty tannins kick in. There's a rich crunch of fruit right at the back. Lots of black plum and cherry going on. Excellent Hautes Côtes.	2011-2014	12x75cl	£162.00
2007	Beaune 1er Cru Domaine de Saux, Château de Chorey-lès-Beaune, Burgundy, France Notes: N.B. This is a blend of fruit from the 1er Cru vineyards of Boucherottes, Cent Vignes and Teurons). Really very rich, aromtic nose of black cherry and blueberry fruit and animal notes, which Benoît Germain tells me is the Boucherottes influence. A smooth, fluid entry opens the door onto a forward palate. There's very little tannin here, making it immediately easy to enjoy. Definitely feminine in character, there's nice, gentle grip to the easy length. This is really very long; the fruit is deliciously fresh and altogether lovely.	2011-2017	12x75cl	£207.00
2007	Pommard, Rebourgeon-Mure, Burgundy, France Notes: N.B. Parts of this vineyard are 100 years old A richer nose than the Volnay from the same cellar. This gives off wild aromas of damson and sloe, smoke and liquorice. This is very mineral in the mouth, with fine, medium tannins integrated into the rich and spicy, wild black fruits. This is very long and even quite backward. Stunning for a village Pommard.	2012-2017	12x75cl	£171.00
2007	Pommard 1er Cru Clos des Charmots, Rebourgeon-Mure, Burgundy, France Notes: N.B. This wine is the product of 70 year old vines I found a rich, mineral-scented nose of ripe, liqueur-like black fruits: plum and cherry. The palate is very rich and cool and concentrated, with hints of raspberry. This is full of vigour and energy. Flavours of blueberry underpinned by minerals, a natural freshness and great, juicy length lift this to another plain. This really needs time. Elegant and lovely; very juicy at the finish.	2013-2019	12x75cl	£234.00
2007	Volnay 1er Cru Les Mitans, Rebourgeon-Mure, Burgundy, France Notes: The nose boasts a richnes of deliciously pure, curranty fruit. There are hints of smoke and flowers to this fruit, which is both red and black. A cool, rich palate with some impressive structure and fresh fruit of red and black cherries and currants. There's spome fine grip here and minerals to be found coating the finish. This is long and juicy and rather fabulous.	2013-2018	12x75cl	£186.00
2007	Bourgogne Passetoutgrains L'Exception, Michel Lafarge, Burgundy, France Notes: N.B. This is the product of 85 year old vines What?!? A passetoutgrains on a Bowes Wine offer? What's going on? These wines are much maligned and often justifiably so. Passetoutgrains, loosely translated, means "bung all the grapes in" and, indeed, this is a blend of both Pinot Noir and Gamay. The fact that it has made it onto our offering is down to the hand of the wine maker. Michel Lafarge and now his son are among the top wine makers anywhere. Some of their more senior wines will appear on offers coming up, but I will take this opportunity to copy Jancis's thoughts on this wine: "Most years it’s a Cinderella wine, something the merchants have to buy to get their hands on the top stuff, but can often find it difficult to sell. This is a shame as it’s a really serious wine, a very distinct step up from their basic Passetoutgrains, from 80 year-old vines grown on a specific clay-limestone patch of vineyard that, with Clos des Chênes, represented Michel L’s father’s entire holding when he began."   A serious nose and a very pure and delicious one. I found floral, black cherry fruit, spice and the freshest plums. Take a mouthful and this is immediately rich, supple and, again, very pure. The fruit is a more-ish amalgam of black cherries and plums, wound through with nutty, rich tannin. This is beautifully balanced; very long. Eye-opening stuff.	2010-2013	12x75cl	£99.00
2007	Santenay Clos des Hâtes, Domaine Bachey-Legros, Burgundy, France Notes: N.B. This vineyard was planted in 1935 There's delightful, smoky, black plum fruit to be found on the nose, along with a lick of creamy cassis. On the palate this is cool and crisp from the off. Rich black plum fruit and fine minerals fill the mouth. There's a great crisp lift at the finish followed by an aftertaste of blueberry and plum. Masses occurring here. Fabulous village Santenay.	2011-2016	12x75cl	£165.00
2007	Mercurey Clos de Myglands, Domaine Faiveley, Burgundy, France Notes: N.B. Big vineyard this: 4 hectares in all. I am told that the curious name has its origins in a time when the vineyards was owned by an Englishman who dubbed it "My Lands". This could be a Gallic wind-up, however. Lovely rich, earthy, rooty Pinot nose. Pureblack plum fruit with a slight animal nuance. A rich, cool and concentrated, supple entry greets the taster. Again, I found this slightly animal. The fruit is of rich black plums, very pure. There are some fine, quite uprighht tannins and great thrust to an extremely long finish. There are flavours of beetroot at the very end (but don't let that put you off!). The tannins are very ripe, the whole thing very long. Wow! I haven't drunk CdM for years. I have wasted those years, if this is anything to go by. What value!	2012-2017	12x75cl	£171.00
2007	Pernand-Verglesses Blanc 1er Cru Les Combottes Vieilles Vignes, Château de Chorey-lès-Beaune, Burgundy, France Notes: A bright nose, very clean and clear, giving up green apple and lemon fruit and intriguing spices. This is finely composed and really rather backward. In fact, lights and bushels spring to mind. It is lemony and nutty and very long and the finish is lit up by great, juicy crunch. As ever, this wine is punching so far above its weight as to be a complete banker. I have almost finished my case of the 2003 vintage of this wine and have enjoyed every mouthful.	2011-2016	12x75cl	£156.00
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