Everyday Burgundies of the 2008 Vintage

or

Where the Smart Money Goes!

The vineyards of Maranges, perhaps the most underappreciated of all Burgundy

If I wrote to tell clients that I had found the most fabulous New Zealand Pinot Noir for minimal outlay, a wine that would develop beautifully in the cellar over five years or so and make sumptuous drinking when mature, I suspect that I would have my hand, if not bitten off, then fairly well nibbled. Yet sometimes I wonder whether a similar claim about a burgundy would elicit nothing like that eagerness.

Are people nervous of great value burgundy and if so, why? These are wines that can be bought in multiple-case quantities, laid down for a few years and then consumed without reservation, with countless friends who will be forever grateful of your generosity, not knowing that the fabulous burgundy you poured in such a never-ending cataract had, in fact, cost diddly-squat.

I think that I am more proud of these wines than the 1er and Grands Crus that will appear soon on other Bowes Wine offerings. They take more finding and the worthwhile discoveries give a greater sense of reward.

To read  more about each producer, go to the main 2008 Burgundy  document and click on the links.

Vintage	Wine	Drink dates	Case size	Price In Bond
2008	Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Cru Les Combottes Vieilles Vignes, Château de Chorey-lès-Beaune, Burgundy, France Notes: N.B. This is 60% Chardonnay musqué, an unusual clone that gives quite exotic-tasting wine Lovely, fully ripe pear aromas combine with scents of sweet nut This is rich, but underpinned and, indeed, brought into focus by a profound minerality. Linear in shape through the palate and exhibiting a powerful follow-through. A touch of leafiness adds compexity. A very long wine and one showing fabulous control. Concentrated and lovely.	2011-2017	12x75cl	£163.00
2008	Bourgogne Blanc, Etienne Sauzet, Burgundy, France Notes: Beautiful nose here; aromas of the sort one would find more than acceptable in a village Puligny-Montrachet. Lovely scents of pure white fruits, crisp, concentrated and a touch nutty. I identified pears and a hint of lemon. In the mouth and this is a dry, structured wine, with very cool, pear fruit and the finest minerals. There's great tension right along its great length and, within the fruit concentration, lemon acidity smacking at one's lips. If I may wring out a few more epithets, this is compact, busy, controlled and lovely. It finishes juicily. Those put off by this wine's lowly labelling don't know the wines that emanate from this estate, one of the finest producers of white wine in France	2011-2015	12x75cl	£117.00
2008	St Aubin 1er Cru En Montceau, Marc Colin, Burgundy, France Notes: I never cease to be amazed at the complexity of St Aubin's terroir...and how rudely it is overlooked! Montceau is one of the cooler vineyards of the appellation and one with very poor soils. I also believe that it is capable of producing among the finest wines here. This smells both highly mineral and of clean, piercing lemon fruit. The pear aromas are of crisp fruit and there's a smoky stoniness The palate kicks off with very cool pear fruit. This is extraordinarily straight in the mouth. A rich, dense wine with with the spicy minerality of the vineyard's soil. Very long and intense and controlled. Super-fine St Aubin.	2013-2018	12x75cl	£180.00
2008	Passetoutgrains L'Exception, Michel Lafarge, Burgundy, France Notes: N.B. The vines here are 85 years old, planted in limey clay   Meaty-rich, black plum and currant fruit. A very pure nose   Silken, rich, pure fruit in the mouth, then becoming very mineral. Really crisp palate, underpinned by spice and minerals. Bakcward and compact at the end, with a good, powerful follow-through. As ever, this is in a class of one.	2011-2014	12x75cl	£108.00
2008	Savigny-lès-Beaune Aux Grands Liards, Remi Rollin, Burgundy, France Notes: N.B. The vineyard is 60+ year old. This sees 30% new oak   Delicious floral notes of fruits small and red and black, plus proper Savigny earthiness. Currant and cherry, plus some dry wood aromas   Black cherry fruit with rich, fine, integrated and upright tannins. Acidity is very crisp and held within the fruit envelope. Citrus fresh, straight and balanced. Great crunchy tension at the back. Cerebral Savigny.	2012-2018	12x75cl	£147.00
2008	Savigny-lès-Beaune Aux Grands Liards, Camus-Bruchon, Burgundy, France Notes: N.B. This wine comes from two parcels of vines, one 93 years old, the other 90   The colour is blue ruby   A cool nose and a touch spicy, with black cherry, pure fruit   Concentrated, cool, supple fruit of black cherry, then a full-stop of peppery spice at the finish. This is long and very elegant; cool with a busy finish. This is lovely, classy Savigny	2013-2019	12x75cl	£165.00
2008	Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru Les Gravains, Camus-Bruchon, Burgundy, France Notes: N.B. A 39-year-old vineyard   A floral nose, with hints of violet and red and black currants. Freshness to the fruit. A lovely nose   This is concentrated in the mouth and very cool. There's sophisticated structure in the form of very fine grained, rich tannins. Mineral, meaty and in need of cellaring. Really fresh. A fabulous wine!	2014-2020	12x75cl	£171.00
2008	Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Cru Ile de Vergelesses, Remi Rollin, Burgundy, France Notes: This is a little closed, yet wood notes surround beautifully crisp red and black fruits. Much more to come, evidently!   This is super-cool and poised llike Audrey Hepburn. Concentrated fruit of blueberry and cherry with real crunch to it. Very rich are the nutty tannins. This is very busy through to a long, long finish. Very black cherry the fruit flavours. This is built to last. There's great grip at the back. Heavenly Pernand.	2013-2019	12x75cl	£192.00
2008	Maranges 1er Cru Les Boutières, Bachelet-Monnot, Burgundy, France Notes: The nose here is all about creamy red and black salted cherry aromas with notes of cassis   This is richly tannic, the tannins very fine and ripe and velvet textured. The crispness is cached beneath the fruit. This is really very long, with lovely grip at the end. Floral plums, plus pure black cherries. Yum.	2013-2019	12x75cl	£141.00
2008	Santenay Vieilles Vignes, Marc Colin, Burgundy, France Notes: N.B. There are old vine cuvées and there are old vine cuvées. This comes from a vineyard over 100 years of age   A lovely nose of rich black fruits. There are hints of mint and spice here   This is the complete package! Very strong at the end. Compact and very long. Pure black plum fruit, very mineral. A peppery end. This is awe inspiring stuff!	2013-2018	12x75cl	£201.00
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Links to other 2008 Burgundy Offers

» Chablis Offer

» Côte de Nuits Offer

» Côte de Beaune Offer