We have an embarassment of riches

[David M. Bueker]

I've been actively collecting/drinking fine wine for a little over 15 years now, and it keeps striking me what a ridiculous embarassment of riches we are dealing with as wine lovers. There's always talk on the interweb about the next big thing or vintage of the century, but I think that badly misses the mark.

I started seriously buying German Riesling in 1995. Forgetting the "merely good" years, we have had 2001, 2002 (my assessment), 2005, 2007 and now 2009 as potential/actual legendary vintages. This omits the fact that there are stunning wines from every other year in that period, even the much maligned 2000.

Bordeaux was another 1995 initiation for me. so let's sum up with that year (overrated but good), 1996 (seriously underrated IMO), 2000, 2005 and 2009. That skips the very fine 2001, which for me is the best drinking vintage in the last decade or more.

Onto that "minefield" of Burgundy. I wish I had started buying Burgs sooner, but I really only began in earnest with 1999. So 1999, 2002, 2005 and (I hear) 2009 will be at that top level, but the number of delicious Burgundies that were available from 2000, 2001 and 2006 boggles the mind.

Consider other things like 2001, 2003, 2005 and 2007 Sauternes. How about 1997, 1999, 2002, 2006 and 2007 in Austria? The Loire Chenins of 2002 and 2005 are amazing, as are the Beaujolais of more years than I can count on one hand. The Rhone has been blessed, as have Tuscany and Piemonte.

I am not even considering the new world here!!!

All this ignores the ever improving level of winemaking. Even if you think that there is too much homogenization of wine styles, the sheer number of top wines ensures that there will be something lovely to drink.

I could go on and on, but I would just say that there is no need to go trophy hunting as a wine lover. The gems are lying around on the ground for all to find.

We are lucky, in that the great regions of France seem to be able to withstand a little global warming. In Burgundy they won't have to chaptalize, and will be able to show even riper fruit, and Bordeaux seems to be OK with warmer temps. Loire valley should be OK to. We don't know what it will do to delicate areas like Chablis, Alsace, or even Champagne, but for the most part it seems that France, if anything, will benefit, as long as it doesn't get out of hand. And this we don't know! Really kind of scary. We need to be thankful everyday for what we have!

I agree 100%. Here in Nyc for example, everytime I walk into Chambers St Wine (or Crush, or many other stores) I am overwhelmed/overcome with joy/frustration at all the great wine out there at somewhat-affordable prices. The only downside is that I'll never have time to explore it all in depth. Oh well, there could be worse fates in life...

I've been doing this seriously for only half as much time David. Started over a decade ago, just socially drinking, and then something clicked. I met up with a nice group online and they have been so very generous with their knowledge and I've been on a learning path for the last eight years or so. As such, I missed out on buying en primeur for the 2000 but in those days, everyone was already complaining about price and I had no previous reference point so I bought. Same for the 02, 05 Burgundy, the 01, 02, 05 Germans,,.. 99, 05 Rhones, 01, 02, 04, 07 Californians, etc, etc,

Rising prices also forced us to look back at existing stock of older vintages, 95-96 Bordeaux, 99 Burg, 94 Unico , etc,.... this has made the education better and broader.

Then the travel to the wine regions made things more real (Napa/Sonoma, Santa Barbara, NY, Greece, Niagara, BC, etc,)

All I can say is what a GREAT time to learn about wine. what a great time to get exposed to the topic when there is such a abundance of great wines, great vintages, everywhere and we have access to the vast majority of them and can even go to them if you want.

It's been fun for me and I've been grateful to those that have helped me along the way. I know that now I have a great stock of maturing wine and the learning continues.

David,

I started collecting wine about a decade earlier than you did, and so I have fond memories (and still some examples in the cellar) from the great Bordeaux vintages 1982-1989. And some superb Burgundies from the 1995-1998 period.

The lesson I draw is that there will always be a next good vintage.

And that for Bordeaux in particular, the "vintage of the century" is always the one they're desperately trying to sell right now.

-Paul W.

[David M. Bueker]

Paul,

Most of the older guys in my monthly wine tasting group quit buying Bordeaux after the '81 vintage (they mostly started in the early/mid '60s) because the prices being asked for the '82s were more than they were willing to pay!

Thanks david,

Nice post.

I've only been 'serious' about wine for 8 years, but I'm finding more and more that there is rarely a need to venture outside of the $15-$40 price range to find great, unique, cellarworthy wines that pair wonderfully with food. There is so much wonderful wine available in that price range... schaefer, schafer-frohlich, selbach-oster, bize, pavelot, camus-bruchon, baudry, huet, pepiere, texier, gonon, tempier, bois de boursan, edmunds st. John, anthill farms... the list goes on and on and it seems that there is something to appease every palate out there.

Unfortunately, I've also fallen for burgundy... which can occasionally pushe me outside of my usual price comfort zone, but when they're good... they can almost justify the prices.

My $.02.

[David M. Bueker]

New slogan: When village Burgundy is $40, buy Beaujolais!

As long as it's Beaujolais that doesn't taste like village Burgundy!

New slogan: When village Burgundy is $40, buy Beaujolais!

How could I have forgotten beaujolais! I just started exploring them about a year ago... they're affordable, seem to pair well with almost everything, really speak of a place, taste good, and perhaps best of all, don't need 15 years to drink at their best.

The '09 coudert clos de la roilette is fantastic and costs $18.

Or when the village Burgundy drinks like a premier cru. Occasionally I find one that really exceeds expectations.

My first Burg purchase was '92 D' Angerville Volnay Campans. I picked it up quite cheap at the time because it was supposed to be a weak wine from a rather poor vintage. It was in fact a lucious wine. So I reasoned that if "bad, cheap" Burgundy was so great, then "good, expensive" Burgundy must be other worldly. Wrong! The early GC investments that I made were horribly disappointing. I was off the juice until I stumbled onto some "bad" '98 Clos des Ursules in a cut out bin and bought five bottles for $75! It won rave reviews at a barbeque over much more expensive Cali Pinots. Eventually I realized that Burgundy is a crap shoot. Pay your money and take your chance. I simply don't wager more than I can afford to lose these days.

Living in the Bay Area, there are simply so many good wine shops (as well as wineries in Napa and Sonoma Counties and beyond). There is a wine shop in Berkeley called Vintages Berkeley located in an old art deco pumping station that has amazing artisinal wines...all of which cost less than $25! Uinque and interesting wines that do not even cost a huge amount of money!

Living in the Bay Area, there are simply so many good wine shops (as well as wineries in Napa and Sonoma Counties and beyond). There is a wine shop in Berkeley called Vintages Berkeley located in an old art deco pumping station that has amazing artisinal wines...all of which cost less than $25! Uinque and interesting wines that do not even cost a huge amount of money!

yeah you do! I love it when I'm in SF (about 6 to 9 times a year). You have Kermit Lynch in Berkeley, You have COSTCO!! JJ Buckley, KLWines, The Wine Club, etc, etc, etc,...... I'm glad I'm a frequent flyer and I travel with a carryone....the rest of the space is devoted to stuff I have to bring back.......

David
A very good post. Every year the hype gets bigger and louder, yet as you clearly point out, there's no need to slavishly seek only the 'best' years, nor even the 'best' producers (though once you decide you really like a producer, treat them as if they are in the top echelon - they are to you). Best to enjoy one's own palate journey without being told what you must have and must drink.

Life's too short to only drink 98+ point wines

Yes I worry about styles becoming homogenous, but you've only got to read Otto's recent trio of threads to see examples of what sits outside of the safe lush-fruited wines genre.

If my choice of wines was slashed to 10% of what it is now, I'd still be confident of there being plenty of variety to choose from.

regards

Ian

Paul,

Most of the older guys in my monthly wine tasting group quit buying Bordeaux after the '81 vintage (they mostly started in the early/mid '60s) because the prices being asked for the '82s were more than they were willing to pay!

I bought a pretty fair share of 82s because the prices compared to other wines they were inexpensive. I bought most of them as soon as they were released and they did go up in price quickly. Pretty much all the wine geeks I knew at that time bought pretty heavily of the 82s. Your friends just missed the boat.
I just wish Bordeaux and Burgundy were as cheap now as they were then based on wages etc.