A Fantastic 2005 Bourgogne

2005 Burgundy is nuts. Prices for the top bottles are truly insane, and you're going to spend $50 just for village level wine from the Cote de Nuits. I've basically accepted the fact that the bulk of my 05 Burgundy will be from the Cote de Beaune. Even there, Volnay and Pommard from Voillot, Marechal, and others costs about $50. And that is not 1er Cru folks, we're talking about humble village wine.

I refuse to sit this out though, this 05 Burgundy craze. I will not go quietly into the night, as Bill Pullman said in the movie Independence Day. I want my share of "vintage of the century" wine, "the benchmark for a generation" wine. But I don't have 50 clams to spend on wine unless I already know I love it, and even then I don't really have the $. But I want to get a couple of good bottles. How to know which ones?

I'm going to read a load of tasting notes, sure, and have faith in a producer's reputation, but my main plan is to taste Bourgogne wines from producers I'm interested in. If I like them, maybe I'll spring for the more expensive stuff. Foolproof strategy? Nope. Liking a Bourgogne does not necessarily mean that you will like the same winemaker's Gevrey-Chambertin or the Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St Jacques. Different vinification and different grapes (although grapes used for Bourgogne can legally come from village or 1er Cru vineyards - discretion of the producer). Best strategy I've got though.

Following this plan, the other night I tasted an 05 Bourgogne by Domaine Lignier-Michelot, a producer based in Morey St Denis in the Cote de Nuits. It absolutely blew me away - I would happily buy a half case of this wine and drink it over the next two or three years. Made me quite curious about this producer's village and 1er Cru wines...but this wine stands on its own. Honestly, if you see this wine and you're interested in dipping a toe into the 05 Burgundy pool, you should just buy a few bottles.

Since there are several Ligniers out there making red wine in Burgundy, here is Lignier-Michelot's label, albeit from a different wine, but it's the same yellow label and red text that you're looking for.

2005 Domaine Lignier-Michelot Bourgogne, $24 (Chambers Street Wines). Beautiful blood red color. Hit full stride after 30 minutes in the glass, with aromas of fresh red cherries and baking spices. Lush and full on the palate with juicy deep red and black fruit and nice acidity, all wrapped around an earthy mineral core. This is indulgent wine, pure pleasure, and an entirely different style from the leaner and more underbrushy (is that a word?) Pernot and Lafouge wines I have been drinking lately. More dense and fruit driven, but still complex and spicy. A great value at under $25.

Now, should I buy their Morey St Denis Vieille Vignes for about $50, and tuck it away for a few years until some special meal warrants it? Tough call. One thing I am certain of: I will, sadly, not be able to spring for a bottle of Lignier-Michelot's top wine, the Grand Cru Clos de la Roche, at about $175. Maybe another taste of the Bourgogne is in order.