Burgundy's Biggest Deals Are Back: Grand Cru-Adjacent 1er Crus...at Bourgogne Prices!

To all Wine Exchangers,

It’s another installment of our ongoing series, “St. Aubin & You”!

As we discussed in our piece from a month or so ago, St. Aubin is THE appellation for top, value White Burgundy, though prices on wines from this appellation are steadily on the rise. That being said, these are wines that taste like more expensive Puligny and Chassagne Montrachets or Meursaults, but at MUCH more reasonable prices.

But what happens when we break St. Aubin down even further, to its two top sites…and charge less?

Just take a look at this map:

White Burgundy Insiders have known for years that the greatest value propositions maybe in the whole of Burgundy are in fact these two vineyards in the commune of St. Aubin.

And Françoise and Denis own a chunk …of both of them.

I mean, c’mon, how can wines from these two sites, grown just over the hill from Burgundy’s famous Grand Cru’s of Montrachet and Chevalier Montrachet, and next to the Premier Crus of Puligny Montrachet, sell for this kind of price?

In the ‘old days’, before better vineyard management and winemaking, as well as (maybe) global warming, these vineyards were considered inferior because of their inability to fully ripen grapes to the same level as their Grand Cru neighbors next door.

That’s all changed. So now you’re seeing St. Aubin wines commonly selling for $50-$75, especially from these two very special vineyards.

The domaine’s parcel in the Premier Cru En Remilly is nicely located, on the hill below the "Murgers des Dents de Chien". It screams pure Chardonnay fruit, like a junior Grand Cru, shot through with a streak of minerality that is not as intense as the Murgers wines. It simply tastes expensive.

Their parcel of the Premier Cru Les Murgers des Dents de Chien is in the sweet spot of the vineyard, located just next to Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru Champ Gain. This vineyard exhibits less blatantly fruity tendencies when young, with a deeper mineral, crystalline core. If you like your rocks, head here, if you like your fruit, head to En Remilly.

Finally, we had to include their tiny bottling (only 500 cases produced) of Saint Aubin 1er Cru Sur le Sentier du Clou 2014. This wine, from the cooler southeast-facing vineyard on the other side of the commune, gives us a glimpse of the more minerally, Chablis-like side of St. Aubin, all citrus, stones and flowers, a gorgeous wine.

I guess it really doesn’t matter. In the end, all three of these wines so over deliver for the price it’s not even funny.

Kyle Meyer and Tristen Beamon, Proprietors, Wine Exchange