WTN: good and bad white Burgundy

So with Betsy having rehearsals that run late this week, I'm in charge of having dinner ready. Stew Leonard's is having another lobster special, so last night we had steamed lobsters, "Greek" lemon potatoes, salad, and green beans. Obviously time for white Burgundy.

Now, I sometimes take a flyer on an iffy older wine if the price is low enough. Some you win, many you lose. I'm aware of Verget's reputation for PremOx, but for most producers the pox started with 95 or 96. Even though even young Verget hasn't been my fave, at a low price I bought a bottle of the 1993 Verget "Les Enseigneres" Puligny-Montrachet. I mean, I think 1993 is a great vintage for white Burg. Good looking bottle, great color, spinning capsule. Nice clean cork comes out, and puff! So much for the great color. I literally watched it darken in the bottle. Totally oxidized, undrinkable, D-

But I was prepared! I had the backup ready, the 2007 Bize “les Vergelesses” Savigny-les-Beaune blanc. OK, infanticide, but totally delicious. Full and floral, citrus and pear fruit over a solid base of earth.
Long finish. With time some notes of hazelnut and toast, this has excellent acidity and is pure and delightful. A-

Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.  

2007 Bize “les Vergelesses” Savigny-les-Beaune blanc. OK, infanticide...

Given the unpredictability of premox this is far from infanticide. In fact, you're a strong man for not drinking it a few minutes after you bought it!

hey, I haven't had a premox incident till at least 3 years from release!

I haven't had a premox incident till at least 3 years from release!

Does that mean 4/5 years from vintage?

So right now one should be finishing 2005s and 2006s?

I wonder if Verget in 1993 was trail blazing some of the practices favouring premox which became more generalised in 95/96. However, I have heard, but not experienced, that the wines from the Guffens estate are less subject to premox than Verget.

The youngest wine I've personally experienced any PremOx from is 2004- and that's fairly mild. 2002s I've had quite a few with serious oxidation. I'm drinking up 2006s just because I don't think it's got the structure for long term aging, but I'm still holding some 2004s and 2005s, with a bit of trepidation. I also have a few 1999-2002s, and know it;s a coin flip.

Tim, that's a theory I heard recently. Some felt that Verget's big scores from major critics for their 1992s - made in a more approachable style- might have influenced over to follow similar methods re batonnage, sulphur, etc. Oops.