2001 Dom. Rene Bouvier, "Montre-Cul", Bourgogne Rouge

[WestWine]

Hi Everyone,
I've been tasting wine for over a year, and I still get so confused! Here's a wine I could use some feedback on:
It's a dull cranberry color, with a dull nose of earthy mushrooms, and not much else. It's thin with a semi-sour finish. Not at all like any of the other charming, lively Marsannays I've had, although admittedly they've been few and far between. I've been ingesting some of heavily oaked Syrah lately (unfortunately), but I don't think I ruined my palate because of it!
This producer says, "the soil is cultivated without the use of fertilizers. Treatments in the vineyards, as well as the use of sulfur, are strictly limited. The wines are not filtered. The resulting wines are deeply colored, very fruity, and despite their early accessibility, extremely ageworthy."

Since this is not my experience with this bottle, do you think it's damaged in some way? Heat damage? TCA?
Thanks in advance for your consideration!

[Innkeeper]

Hi Wine West and welcome to the Wine Board. Buying/investing in Burgundy any more is like shooting craps. Looks like you came up with snake eyes.

There are many reasons for this. The one I favor I learned from our friend Roberto from Wine Expo. It seems the EU has put the cabaush on the shipment of tankcars full of red wine from Sicily to Burgundy. This has been used over the decades to smooth out the bumps in Burgundies at just about all price points. This is also the reason why in recent years the folks form Sicily have started big time marketing of their wines to the world market.

[This message has been edited by Innkeeper (edited 01-31-2006).]

[WestWine]

Thanks for your quick response!
So, if I understand correctly, it used to be that Sicily would send wine in tank cars to Burgundy, where the wine was blended and bottled as Burgundy?

[Innkeeper]

Yeah, and the EU put a stop to it. The French government and regulators either looked the other way or had their hands out. That is about the only good thing I know about the EU. Considering how hard it is to find good Burgundy these days (it is a small place with a lousy climate), it may not have been a good thing afterall.

[robr]

From all that I have been reading on this board about Burgundy lately, I would say if you want a good "Burgundian" red, go for a Pinot Noir from the Central Coast, Monteray, or Santa Barbara. It may not really taste like a true Burgundy, but it's better than shelling out big bucks for plonk.

[Innkeeper]

WOW may weigh in here as she has seemed to have found a way to shorten the odds. Eng does fairly well too.

[Thomas]

Westwine,

You are correct about Marsannay--many good value Burgundies from that spot, but not like the big powerful Burgundies.

Please don't think that all Burgundy production was phony Sicilian wine--that is a simplification of what has transpired over the centuries. A lot of southern Italian bulk wine has made it into French bottles, but for a variety of reasons and over many centuries.

[wondersofwine]

I usually buy only after I have had the opportunity to taste free of charge or at a nominal fee. Fortunately Chrish Peel of Carolina Wine Company is fond of both red and white Burgundies and he carries some really nice ones also recommended by a British importer with whom he does business. The 2002 Digioia-Royer village Chambolle Musigny ($34.99)was one such wine and the Arlaud Bourgogne Rouge Roncevie is another (I don't see it on the online list any more but they may still have some in stock.) I've also had good luck with Jean-Marc Morey white Burgundies (several Moreys in Burgundy so you have to watch the first name--some use too much oak), Robert Chevillion red Burgundies from Nuits-St-Georges, Colin-Deleger Santenay (wine-searcher has in the $23-$28 range), etc. And I really enjoyed the 2002 Frederick Magnien Morey-St-Denis "Herbuottes" which Premier Cru lists at $19.95 and received 87 points from Rovani (I would probably give it 89 or 90 points). 2002 Morey St Denis Herbuottes, F.Magnien

from Premier Cru website:

$19.95
In Stock

Summary:
87 points Rovani: "Sweet red fruits and spices are found in the aromatic as well as flavor profiles of the 2002 Morey St. Denis Les Herbuottes. This fresh, pure, lively, light to medium-bodied wine is bright and dominated by tangy berries. It ... (cuts off there)

Usually I have to pay more than $20 for the Burgundies I enjoy but I have purchased some beauties in the $35-$50 range. (And some that disappointed.) Best to try before buying.

[This message has been edited by wondersofwine (edited 02-01-2006).]

[WestWine]

Thank you all very, very much! I now understand why the last few Burgs have tasted like plonk. I suppose I'll try the next price level - these have been just under $20-$25.

I'm a bit more of a Bordeaux person, anyway [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/smile.gif[/img]

[dananne]

Wonders has hit the nail on the head, as far as I'm concerned. Find a shop that has a thoughtful selection of Burgundies and buy after tasting, assuming that shop offers tastings. Let them vet the wines a bit and better your odds, which is better on your pocketbook anyway, and taste before buying lowers the odds on a "miss" even more. I can walk in "blind" and probably find a Burgundy that I enjoy, but for each one of those, I probably find 3 or more that either aren't worth the $ or that I flat-out don't like. Finally, a little education helps, too. Moreso, perhaps, than in a place like Oregon, which seems to have good vintage after good vintage lately, vintages in Burgundy really are important. Also, it helps to narrow down the areas that tend to produce wines with characteristics that you enjoy -- firmer, more tannnic wines from Pommard, for example, or light, strawberryish wines from around Auxerre.

Happy hunting, and welcome to the board!