A good solid starter Burgundy

[TheEngineer]

I totally second the post from WOW. I've been getting lessons from my local pusher in Burgundies this year as well and he's walked me up and down Cote de Nuite and Cote De Beaune...almost forcing me to memorized the appellations in order...which helps by the way. Also, there are many levels/qualities/locations of wine, from Bugundy in total, an appellation, a village, a specific vineyard (and how this will appear on the label)/Monopole and maker. This is way it is very difficult to find great burgundy....add to this the way vineyards are passed down through the generations...it gets tricky. A good book will be needed to go through this in any fairness. Brevity in this base will not do it justice.

I will add a few other suggestions for the 2002 vintage which is current release.

I like Jadot stuff even though he is a negociant. 2002 Domaine de Heritier Louis Jadot Savigny-Les-Beaune, La Dominode, 1er Cru which can be found for $24.99 is cheap. The 2002 Domaine de Heritier Louis Jadot Corton-Pouget Grand Cru is better but at $75.

Another Volnay, the 2002 Domaine Marquis d'Angerville Volnay Champans Premier Cru can be found for about $65.00

There apparently is a saying that there are no common wines in Vosne Romanee....I'm not sure on this but just in case...2002 Earl Daniel Bocquenet, Nuit Saint George Vosne-Romanée for about $45.

Also if budget is tight, you can look outside the traditional Cote d'Or and look at appellations like Mercurey .. 2002 Francois Raquillet Mercurey 1er Cru Les Vasee which is a more reasonable $28.

FAVORITE 2002 BURGUNDY tasted to date....a 2002 Domaine Jean Trapet Latricieres-Chambertin Grand Cru and a 2002 and a Comte Armand Pommard Clos des Epeneaux, 1er Cru Monopole. The later two are not cheap (around the $100 mark) but are by far no where near where expensive burgundies prices which can be in the hundreds of dollars if not higher on release.

BTW, my understanding is still rather amateur...please take everything I say with a BIG GRAIN OF SALT. Also, with the exception of the Jadot products and teh trapet, all the others were tasted at store tastings lest I be identified for openning these things up a bit too early...

[This message has been edited by TheEngineer (edited 04-28-2005).]