foodwineclick

After the virtual Burgundy tour, I started to wonder how inexpensive Bourgogne Rouge would stack up to the Village wines we tried.  In addition, many wine drinkers just don’t have the $$ or interest to spend $50 on a bottle of wine.  I decided to gather up a few under $20 examples (on sale) to try.  The big questions: Are they clearly Burgundy?  What can we learn from them?

In short, Bourgogne Rouge wines are clearly from Burgundy and nowhere else.  They lack the specific characteristics of a particular village since these wines are typically sourced from a variety of vineyards in the region.  Also the vineyard sources won’t be at the same quality level as the village wines. However, as a group, they do offer bright red fruits, but the fruit isn’t as prominent as many new world Pinot Noirs.  They also show an herbal/earthy side that is typical of the Village level wines from our tour.  One interesting note: you may be able to get a good sense of the producer’s style using these wines for comparison, especially if you choose a group from the same vintage.

Bourgogne Rouge wines can be found <$20.

Joseph Faively Bourgogne Rouge 2009 ($19)
Definitely an authentic red Burgundy!
Eye: Nice medium transparent garnet red color.
Nose: A bit stinky when the bottle is first opened, blows off quickly.  Then a nice cherry aroma appears.
Mouth: Nice dry and a bit tannic at the end.  Red fruits, some definite herbs.  This is clearly Burgundy, not overly complex, but very nice.  Perhaps a little riper than most higher level Burgundies. I would drink this anytime.

Joseph Faiveley Bourgogne Rouge with Kielbasi & Sauerkraut flatbread.

Bouchard Père et Fils Bourgogne ($19)
Eye: Beautiful transparent red, just a bit deep in color
Nose: Rich red fruit and something earthy like a bit of mushroom.
Mouth: Rich and smooth, almost buttery in a way.  Not bad in any way, just not my favorite inexpensive Burgundy.

Bouchard Père et Fils Bourgogne Rouge with pork chop & pasta

Maison Roche de Bellene Bourgogne ($20)
Nice Bourgogne Rouge with some complexity from old vines (Vieilles Vignes).
Eye: Beautiful cherry red, transparent.
Nose: Red fruit, then a bit of smoke, a bit of earth.
Mouth: Not tart, but nice and lively. Not alot of tannin. mostly cherry flavor. This was very good with salmon.

Domaine de Bellene Bourgogne Rouge

Do you have a favorite inexpensive Bourgogne Rouge?  I’d love to hear about your favorites!