Burgundy, in white
Just a year ago, I spoke of Burgundy being so iconic that the wine gave its name to a shade of red. But don’t forget: Burgundy comes in white, too!
This precise, one-year timing is not entirely coincidental. On the contrary, it’s holiday time again, as we noted in last week’s edition. In one happy characteristic that both red and white Burgundy share, both styles go very well indeed with roast turkey, roasted poultry in general, and many of the other dishes that make up traditional holiday feasts.
White Burgundy can be amazing, but you’ll often have to pay for greatness.
Can you point us to an excellent value?
Of course, as it is with red Burgundy, so it is with white: These broad categories cover a wide range of wine quality and price, from breath-takingly expensive to cheap, industrially produced, and forgettable wines.
In the quest for good value – which for me means pleasing, reasonably complex, and balanced wines at a price I’m willing to pay – how can we sort them out? For me in the current market, this begins with the recognition that I’ll probably have to pay close to $20, and probably a bit more, for a wine experience that’s worth the toll.
Then, once I’m situated in front of the appropriately priced stretch of my wine shop’s shelves, I start turning the bottles around to look for importers who’ve consistently impressed me with the quality of their portfolio. The combination of a trusted importer, an artisanal producer, and a fair price makes a winning trifecta for me.
Situated at a relatively high altitude in Southern Burgundy, Les Belle Roches’ Chardonnay vineyards bask in the glow of the summer sun.
Today’s featured wine, Les Belles Roches Bourgogne Blanc, is an excellent white Burgundy value for around $20, available in some regions for a few dollars less. It’s an import from Skurnik Wines LLC of New York City, a distributor whose wines I’ve found unerringly to my taste.
Here’s a quick, and absolutely incomplete, list of other importers whose name on the bottle prompts me to trust the contents.
Skurnik Wines LLC, NYC.
Kermit Lynch Wine Marchant, Berkeley, Calif.
Vineyard Brands Inc., Birmingham, Ala.
LDM Wines Inc., NYC.
Jorge Ordóñez Selections, Fine Estates from Spain Inc., Dedham, Mass.
Hand Picked Selections Inc., Warrenton, Va.
There are plenty more, of course – I’d love to hear your suggestions – and sometimes taking a chance on an unfamiliar name is part of the joy of the hunt. Share your favorites on Substack Chat!
Today’s Tasting Report
Les Belles Roches 2022 Bourgogne Blanc ($19.99)
Clear light gold in color, Les Belles Roches Bourgogne Blanc is made from sustainably grown Chardonnay grapes on 30-year-old vines, vinified with indigenous yeasts. and fermented and aged in stainless steel to preserve its distinctive fruit flavors. Peach and apricot aromas with a touch of lemon invite a taste. Stone-fruit and citrus scents carry over on the palate in a crisp, acidic flavor sculpted by stony minerality. Don’t serve it too cold, so as not to mask its complex and subtle flavors. Its moderate 12.5% alcohol is well suited for the dinner table. U.S. importer: Skurnik Wines, NYC. (Nov. 28, 2024)
FOOD MATCH: A natural partner with roast chicken or turkey, cheeses, and elevated vegetable entrees, it’s a great choice for the holiday table.
WHEN TO DRINK: Some high-end white Burgundy is capable of gaining complexity with careful cellaring, but to be realistic, even very good Bourgogne Chardonnay like this is meant to be enjoyed fresh, best within three or four years after the vintage.
VALUE:
Although Wine-Searcher.com lists a $20 average U.S. retail price, many retailers offer it in the middle to upper teens. Throughout that range, it remains an excellent value in an affordable white Burgundy.
WEB LINK:
Here’s a link to importer Skurnik’s tech sheet.
FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
Check prices and find vendors for Les Belles Roches Bourgogne Blanc on Wine-Searcher.com.
Read about Bourgogne Blanc and browse wines and vendors at this Wine-Searcher link.
See this Wine-Searcher link for more about the Chardonnay grape and a world of Chardonnay wines and vendors.
Find the wines you want
Explore Wine-Searcher
Wine-Searcher.com is the place to go online if you want to find where to buy a particular wine that interests you. What’s more, Wine-Searcher.com offers so much more. It’s well worth a visit just to discover its many features, including its popular list of the world’s Top 10 Best Value Wines.
Good wines we’ve tried under $10.99!
Want tips to still more good, inexpensive wines? Here are Wine-Searcher links to vendors and prices for a bunch more wines for $10.99 or less that I’ve told you about in recent years. In some cases, the prices may have risen over the $10.99 mark since I reviewed them, but they should still be excellent bargains. Please tell us about your favorites!
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* Corton. Dreaded autocorrect!
We served a Latour 1er Cru at Thanksgiving and when both bottles were gone, dipped to Yohan Lardy Beaujolais blanc villlages (or is it villages blanc?). Delicious all, and paired so well with almost everything on the table. Selfishly I held back my 2018 Corron Charlemagne. Maybe next year?