I had a chance to check my cellar Burgundy inventory
this morning and I discovered some older
Burgundies that I have been sitting on for
quite a while. It's fun to discover these
resting beauties, but I need to do something
with them. I can't drink them all,
you know.
These bottles are the repercussions over time
of several "my eyes were bigger than my
stomach" episodes, which are all too frequent
in the Hurley household. In fact, it's a
common wine lover's affliction, but if you're
feeling like there's a little too much
daylight shining through your cellar shelves
right now, this may be your Burgundy moment.
I've written about the following growers a
lot and have been importing them all
for years. They out-do themselves when
it comes to winemaking and their wines will
let you inside that wonderful Burgundian
world where Pinot Noir finds its most
exquisite expression.
The quantities below indicate how many
bottles of each are available.
My Older Red Burgundies, Listed by
Grower/Winemaker:
Paul Garaudet:
"This conscientious and innovative grower is
a lover of his terroir of Monthelie,
whose wines are not well-known, but can
attain great finesse. As the prices are
reasonable, there is no reason for deprive
yourself of these wines." - La Revue du
Vin de France
Remaining 2003s - A Wonderful rich vintage for the reds
6 bts. 2003 Monthelie - $39 a bottle
14 bts. 2003 Volnay - $55 a
bottle
24 bottles. 2003 Volnay Roncerets 1er cru - $65 a
bottle
Eric de Suremain:
"The fittingly named de Suremain (literal
translation: Surehand) owns what are
relatively modest vineyards in Rully and
Monthelie (Chateau de Monthelie) yet his
dark, sumptuously fruited results with the
1999 vintage proved that he can create wines
of extraordinary depth and seriousness from
these well-tended, low-yielding vineyards."
- Andrew Jefford, The New France
These are all bio-dynamic wines which contributes to their Pinot expressiveness
18 bts. 1997 Rully 1er cru Preaux - $39 a
bottle
1 bt. 2000 Rully 1er cru Preaux
$39 a bottle
Henri Boillot:
"Henri Boillot decided a few years ago that
he wanted to dedicate himself to the
production of fine wines. Since then he has
gone from strength to strength, sparing no
expense, obsessing over every detail,
fashioning magnificent wines....Thanks to the
superhuman efforts of Henri Boillot, Domaine
Jean Boillot should now be counted among the
finest producers in the Cote de Beaune for
both reds and whites." - Robert Parker
12 bts. 1997 Volnay 1er cru Chevrets - $85 a
bottle, full case $995
3 bts. 2000 Volnay er cru Caillerets - $75
a bottle
3 bts. 2001 Volnay 1er cru Caillerets - $75
a bottle
6 bts. 2002 Volnay 1er cru Caillerets - $85
a bottle
Philippe Leclerc:
"Serious old school Burgs with an emphasis on
their structure and unapologetically built
for the long haul." - Allen Meadows,
Burghound
10 bts. 1987 Gevrey Chambertin 1er cru les
Cazetiers - $110 a bottle
12 bts. 2003 Gevrey Chambertin 1er cru Combe
aux Moines - $110 a bottle
60 bts. 2003 Gevrey Chambertin En Champs -
$60 a bottle
Benoit Germain:
"Benoit Germain has been at pains to retain
the distinctive personalities and
terroir transparency as well as
ageability that wines of the Chateau de
Chorey routinely displayed under his father
Francois's regimen, while at the same time,
through varied and sensitive fermentative
techniques promoting more flattering primary
fruit, refining tannic structure, and thus
rendering wines more approachable in their
youth. Germain is also beginning to
incorporate elements of biodynamics." -
Allen Meadows,
Burghound
60 bts. 2004 Beaune 1er cru les Teurons - $65
a bottle
20 bts. 2003 Chorey les Beaune - $40 a bottle
24 bottles Chorey les Beaune - $35 a bottle
