Following up on a Buying Strategy Idea

Recently I talked about buying wine produced in an "off" vintage, wine that in great vintages might be too expensive for me to taste. I have been sampling some older experiments using this strategy, a few 2001 Pinots from Oregon and Burgundy, 2002 was considered the star vintage in both regions. Results are mixed so far - some good wines, some disappointing wines. Just goes to show that you still have to know what you're buying, and choose carefully.

This kind of thinking is especially important for me now that every few years it seems to be "the vintage of the century" in Burgundy (or Bordeaux, others too). Imagine that I am ready to plunk down the cash to buy a bottle of Grand Cru wine from, say, JF Mugnier, or Robert Groffier. 2005 is supposed to be an incredible vintage, and from the little I have tasted so far, it's not hype - the wines are amazing. But the yields were low, and many wines will be snapped up by collectors and those on mailing lists, they might not even make it to retail. And if by some miracle I were to find a bottle of 2005 JF Mugnier Musigny, I bet it will cost $375 or so. I might be ready to splurge on a couple of three digit wines for the cellar, but not when the first digit is anything other than a "1."

So I instead will focus on 2004 current releases - there might be some good value here, assuming I know what I'm buying. And among higher end Burgundies I do not know what I'm buying - I have tasted very few high end Burgundy wines. So I did little reading (Burgundy Report and Black Ink, among others) and decided on a few bottles to purchase from the 2004 vintage, wines I will never afford (or find in stores) when the 05's are released.

I will share these recent purchases with you now, Brooklynguy's 2004 Burgundy Line (imagine thumping music, and yourself at eye level with the catwalk, the wines come strutting in):

2004 Domaine JF Mugnier Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Amoureuses...applause, whispered murmurings of appreciation...see the way the light shows off her elegant color at the neck of the bottle? So beautiful...

2004 Domaine JF Mugnier Chambolle-Musigny...her younger, wilder sister...see the alluring curves on the shoulder? Mmmm...

2004 Sylvie Esmonin Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos Saint-Jaques...she scandalizes me, the way she sparkles, her transparent attempts to seduce...but I cannot avert my eyes...

2004 Sylvie Esmonin Gevrey-Chambertin Vieille Vignes...such confidence and poise for such a young wine, so brazen in her posturing...she will surely grow to be a heart stopping beauty...

2004 Domaine Georges Roumier Chambolle-Musigny...this one is frisky, a fighter, and a lover...and I want her to love me, but I am terrified of her...

I'm glad I bought only five wines because I don't think I could have kept going with that nonsense for even one more minute.

Actually, I also bought a 2004 Domaine Pierre Amiot Morey St Denis 1er Cru Les Millandes, but this purchase was un-researched, and was the result of me confusing this producer with another Amiot - Amiot Servelle. There are about five producers named Amiot in Burgundy, so go figure. Watch this one be the best bottle in seven years or so.

I hope you enjoyed your preview of the 2004 line (and I apologize for the nonsense, and thank you for your patience).