Self Narrowing of Burgundy purchases..worse fate for Rhone

Still being relatively new to wine, I've only got a few years worth of experience to pull in on when purchasing burgundies. In the beginning, like everyone, I bought everything I could to try and counted on my local pushers to guide me. It was easier with prices for 1er crus and Grand crus at least approachable. Also unlike bordeaux this year where I purchased from over 15 producers, with burgundy so expensive, I had to quickly narrow my choices down to the absolute limited number and I was surprised that this happened. It was not intentional but looking back this year over what I bought, it was obvious. I was wondering if this happened to anyone else and or if this means that I've started to become more specific about my purchases.....maybe I just need a bigger salary...

So for Burgundy, Narrowed in on

(1) Roumier...I wish there was more MSD to go around........
(2) Lafarge
(3) Pousse D'Or
(4) Hudellot Noellat
(5) Comte Armand
(6) Mongear

Missing out on many others that I would normally buy. In fact, I've been on a nationwide Roumier run.....facinated by his wines. Except that they either have sold out or are very expensive. Anyone see the price of an '05 Bonne Mares lately??...significantly ouch...

Same happened for Rhone..worse in fact...

(1) Chapoutier
(2) Beaucastel
(3) Clos des Papes
(4) Alain Grillot

I can't afford wines from Guigal, Rostaing (my favourite), etc,...any more.... but even if I could, I'm not sure that I would. Is this narrowing a natural progression? Will it expand back out again?

[David M. Bueker]

I've been through the narrowing/broadening cycle about 4 times. I think it's natural to focus in on some things you really like, then find out/taste other things and go wow I really need to broaden my scope. Then you check the wine bill and narrow down again.

Lather, rinse, repeat.

(1) Roumier...I wish there was more MSD to go around........
(2) Lafarge
(3) Pousse D'Or
(4) Hudellot Noellat
(5) Comte Armand
(6) Mongear

Is the last one supposed to be Mongeard-Mugneret? Would kind of fit with most of the others (I'd call Lafarge a traditionalist but all the others are kind of in the middle of the modern/traditional continuum). Nice list of quality producers. I think its natural to narrow as you better learn what you like. It would be irrational to do otherwise, though it's good of course to be open to new stuff. With prices of 2005s on some of my favorites (Roumier and Lafarge among them, plus Mugnier, de Courcel, d'Angerville, etc) I've had to expand my horizons to look for other producers (or buy "lesser" wines from my faves).

Even if I become more narrow in my purchases in one region, I am always finding more regions that I need to try/learn more about so the reality of the situation is that I have been consistently widening my purchases since I found wine.

(1) Roumier...I wish there was more MSD to go around........

Michael,

With even wine like the Roumier Clos de La Bussière coming in at $125+ I am all but priced out of the Burgundy market. Unless I stumble onto a good buy I don't even bother looking at the stuff any more. It seems that 80% of Burgs I do drink end up pissing me off anyway. Not that long ago I bought the 2002 d'Angerville CdD for $68 per. Heck I bought a 1996 Grands Echezeaux for $110 and thought that was outrageous! Those were the days. Luckily, the rest of the world has too much good wine to offer for me to waste time pining for the Cotes.

Lather, rinse, repeat.

I like that!

Yes it was Mongeard-Mugneret. I must have forgot to type the rest of the name I forgot to type one more, Chevillon. I forgot I had ordered a case of his stuff too. I went back to look at my German purchases and same thing...down to three producers (Donnhoff, JJ Prum, Vollenweider).

The reason for this strange feeling was that I have been spending some time in my cellar pulling bottles that I only have one of and I was shocked at how many there were. Many were also of the cheap and cheery variety that were purchased on the advice of the local pusher. These were also the bottles that I've been passing over time and time again when I pick a wine. Someone else on another board was spring cleaning his seller and I thought that I would also do the same, pulling 4 of these neglected bottles a night to see if they were still go. Some were drain magnets, others were pretty good...and after a week, I;ve barely made a dent in this list... hic....

then I started to pull my recent purchases into a different area of the cellar as I started to clean up and noticed the drastic difference in buying strategies. more case purchase of less number of producers. I mean there are still a number of single bottle purchases, especially from winery visits, but most were nicely boxed away..... It was strange for me to see this when I started a few years ago in wine by reading about a wine region, going out and buying a bunch of the regions wines and then trying them for "educational purposes":) and then going to another region and repeating. Through the course of this, I ended up with many many single bottles that I had never opened. I did not realize that I had stopped doing this....maybe the next expansion is when I can get back to this again. Regardless, its been fun.