What’s your favorite white burg ($100 or less)?

[Blanquito]

Jacques and Jill brought a 2014 Niellon Chassagne Montrachet Vergers to an offline in Denver last year, and I still find myself thinking about it now and again. It was that good.

I am of the opinion that white burgundy is clearly the world’s greatest white wine region, but also that it’s is priced like the world’s greatest white wine region (apparently others share my opinion). That and premox scare me off, and other than some inexpensive Chablis, I tend not buy it much.

But that Chassagne Montrachet keeps calling, and got me thinking: what does BWE think? What’s your favorite white Burgundy (from recent vintages... see, premox) for <$100 and for <$50?

[jal]

Chassagne just Niellon and my favorites are his Chaumées Truffière and Vergers
Puligny, I’ll pay up. Jacques Carillon Champs Canet and usually more than $120
François Carillon, makes good Puligny Combettes and Folatieres for about $75
Louis Michel Chablis Forêts and William Fevre Chablis Vaillons are both bargains

The 2016 Bourgogne blancs are all good, I had an excellent Étienne Sauzet last week. Not cheap though.

[stefan]

Jacques is an expert on white Burgundy (and many other wines)--you cannot go wrong when he recommends something. Niellon is also my favorite among white Burgundy producers that are almost affordable (but don't expect to find any less than $100 in 2014 or 2016). My taste runs toward Puligny; however, I also love Chassagne and probably buy more of it because it tends to be less expensive. Louis Michel is my favorite Chablis producer, and most of his 1er Crus are in the $50 range. His are unoaked, steely, minerally, but too austere to have big price tags. For Chassagne I would add Jadot Duc de Magenta to Jacques' list, but I did not see Morgeot recently for much less than $100. However, you might find Jadot discounted. and Jadot Domaine 1er Crus are very reliable (the negociant ones less so). Ditto for Jadot Pulignys. If you can find any Jacques Carillon 1er Crus for $100, buy! I don't know Francois Carillon but intend to follow up on Jacques' tip.

[Blanquito]

Checking and I see Niellon’s 2014 St. Jean for $70. Buy??? I’ve only had the Vergers.

[stefan]

I haven't tasted the 2014 Clos St Jean, but I would buy it at that price for sure. St Jean is not as good as Vergers but it is still fine. Grapes has the Vergers at $110, so you pay a hefty premium for the step up.

[Winona Chief]

I look in the same price range after finding I didn't think the $250 to $500+ white Burgs were worth it. I love Bouchard Meursaultes Perrieres and Genevrieres both great in 2014 and 2016. Also a fan of $40-$70 Hubert Lamy Saint Aubin. Pierre Yves Colin Morey is hot right now but look for his wines from Saint Aubin and Chassagne Montrachet. I like those Francois Carillon Pulignys that Jacques recommends. Marc Colin Saint Aubins at $40-$50 are worth it. I also recommend Bernard Moreau Chassagnes.

Chris Bublitz

[jal]

I’m bringing two bottle of 2015 François Carillon Puligny Folatieres to the Friday dinner in Denver. We’ll be at the Burgundy table. Hopefully, the bottles will also get there, after reading the Danny posts, I admit I am a bit concerned.

[jal]

Stefan, I also prefer Puligny to Chassagne, but like Chris, lately I’ve been buying some Saint Aubins as well. I like Hubert Lamy, especially Derrière Chez Édouard but Pierre Yves Colin Morey I find expensive and honestly also somewhat overrated. I think his wines are a bit too manipulated for me.

BTW, yesterday we had a 2015 de Montille Puligny le Cailleret that was absolutely incredible. Only the second time I had this label, and the first time was with Ben Nelson, Pappadoc, Jackdaw, and a few others at the Kittle House back in 2003. Memories of great times.

[Jay Winton]

I stick to Chablis which seems to suffer less premox than other Burgs. The new generation of producers there have made it possible to enjoy village level wines instead of just premier cru and above. That said, bourgogne whites can still be a good value.

[JeanFred]

Just like Red Burgundy, I truly like the white. And except YQUEM, the best white I have tated are from the Burgundy and the few Montrachet I have tasted were all a great experience!

The best i bought and had in different millesime and is the Albert Grivault Meursault 1er Clos des Perrieres.

I will bring one 2009 for Friday dinner with my Jadot Chapelle-Chambertin at the Burgundy table


Jean-Fred

[Blanquito]

Ian opened a bottle of 2011 Pierre Yves Meursault single vineyard recently that was fantastic.

[Blanquito]

Thanks, gents.

Just bought 3 bottles of the 2015 Jacques Carillon Puligny-Montrachet Champ Canet for $93.50 on close out.

I’m not done! I see also the 2014 Niellon Maltroue for $70 to go with the Clos St Jean (PM if want to collect some from me in Denver as part of a joint order).

Also, the marc colin-st-aubin-les-chatanieres-1er-cru-2014 for $50.

Buy, buy, buy!

[Nicklasss]

The Meursault village vieilles vignes from Buisson-Charles is a great value if you can find it.

Nic

[stefan]

Great buy, Patrick. I'll take some 2014 Niellon Maltroie; up to ten for pickup in Denver.
It is available in Austin, but only 2 bottles.

[stefan]

Don Cornutt, who is a very good taster (judging from his posts; I do not know him), posted on WB a couple of days ago that the 2014 Niellon Chaummees Truffiere is Extraordinary! I am still kicking myself that I did not buy some of this when we were in LA last May.

[jal]

Don Cornutt, who is a very good taster (judging from his posts; I do not know him), posted on WB a couple of days ago that the 2014 Niellon Chaummees Truffiere is Extraordinary! I am still kicking myself that I did not buy some of this when we were in LA last May.

Suzanne Camhi who tasted that wine at my place last year and bought 6 bottles afterwards was telling me about Don Cornutt's note. I may have drank all of mine alas.

[Comte Flaneur]

I can’t think of a better sub-$100 white burgundy than the Neillons mentioned. Thanks to Jacques I bought two cases of ‘14 Vergers and managed to uncover a few bottles of a Chaumes Truffiere.

Buisson-Charles is a very good producer, I agree Nic.

[Jay Winton]

I should add that I was recently served a 2000 Domaine / Maison Vincent Girardin Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet that was stunning. A great wine drinking so well now. All I would want in a still white.

[stefan]

Vincent Girardin does a good job with white wines and the prices are often attractive. I don't regard him as being in the same league as Niellon or Jacques Carillon, though.

Actually, my favorite Chassagne producer is Ramonet, but even his village white wines push $100.

[jal]

Stefan, I like Ramonet but I prefer Niellon. It's just a matter of taste, I guess.

For Puligny, I agree about Jacques Carillon, I also like de Montille and Domaine Leflaive (with the prices now at insane levels, those are a pass). I bought some good François Carillon Puligny Folatieres and Combettes but his 2015 regular Bourgogne is mediocre compared to the 2014. I used to like Paul Pernot but the last few times, his wines were a bit boring in comparison.

Meursault I love Roulot obviously, but had a delicious 2014 Buisson Charles Vieilles Vignes last week.

Chablis good producers I love are Louis Michel, William Fevre, Billaud Simon (now owned by Girardin) and of course Dauvissat and Raveneau.

As strategy I try to stick with these producers, I would, for Village and regular Bourgogne, stay with 2014 and 2016, and would go to 1er and GC in other years.

[stefan]

Jacques, thanks for the reminder about Montille. I drank and liked several of his offerings around 8-10 years ago but have not bought any since. Fevre turned me off with his oaking early on, but he has learned, so I buy some again. I also buy Billaud Simon fairly often. I never had a Domaine Leflaive that was worth the stiff tariff and never buy now. I prefer the prices of Louis Michel's wines to those of Dauvissat and Raveneau and love Michel's style of Chablis. Consequently, I rarely drink Dauvissat and Raveneau these days.

[Blanquito]

Bill, just placed our order for the 2014 Niellon! You have 1 of the Maltroie and 4 of the Clos St Jean headed to Denver. $70/each plus shipping.

[stefan]

Thanks, Patrick. Give me the total when you get it and I'll mail you a check or hand you one when we are both a mile high.

[Claudius2]

Folks
I am an unabashed lover of white Burgundy and drink more of it that all other whites combined.
I also love some Australian chardonnays but have very specific stylistic preferences.

I have imported Remoissenet for some yrs but for personal consumption and for a few friends.
They make a more old fashioned, long ageing style and luckily I have had very few problems with premox with any vintage of this producer, and none for many years.

A few other personal favourites:
Chanson
Domaine Laflaive (but these days, like Coche Dury, Ramonet, Neillon and Comte Lafon, too expensive)
Jadot (though have noticed them being a bit wobbly lately)
Marc Morey
Blain Gagnard and Fontaine Gagnard
Carillon is also too pricey in SIngapore for this thread but the few I have tried were very good.

Some posters here have mention Girardin.
I have slightly mixed view of that producer as the wines can be too soft for me, without the mineral/saline and stony characters I like in white Burgundy.

There are a few producers I simply will not buy any more due to the pain in the wallet caused by batch premox.
I can forgive a producer for the odd premoxed bottle but not every bottle in several cases.

[Blanquito]

2015 Francois Carillon Puligny-Montrachet Les Folatieres for $70? Worth a try for that?

[Claudius2]

Sounds good for $70 I’d buy the 2014 in preference though

[jal]

Patrick, wait till Friday. I'm bringing two bottles of this to the dinner.