FYI/FYE December 7, 2010 Alluring Burgundies in Low Places By ERIC ASIMOV SIMPLY uttering the word Burgundy conjures up storied names that have beguiled wine lovers for centuries: Chambertin and La T�che, Le Montrachet and Musigny. These wines can cost hundreds if not thousands of dollars. The memories, it must be said, are priceless. Yet the word Burgundy just as easily suggests humble Bourgogne. In the grand hierarchical scheme of Burgundy.s appellation system, bottles simply labeled Bourgogne represent the lowest forms of the region.s pinot noir and chardonnay. They generally run $15 to $35, though occasionally are quite a bit more. Theoretically, at least, they would offer generic expressions of Burgundy, possessing few of the distinctive characteristics that shape and define the more narrowly drawn appellations. This might suggest that these wines are best ignored. Yet, as the British wine authority Hugh Johnson so aptly puts it, .Do not despise.. If the memories they produce are not exactly inestimable, the wines can thoroughly satisfy and be an excellent introduction to Burgundy.s charms. On the top rung of the ladder of Burgundy.s appellation hierarchy are the grand cru vineyards, like Le Montrachet and Musigny, signifying the finest, most distinctive terroirs. On the lowest rung is Bourgogne, indicating wines made from grapes that can come from anywhere within the boundaries of Burgundy. In theory, the lowliest grand cru or even village wine should always be better than the best Bourgogne. But the hierarchy is simply a measure of potential. In practice, the rule in Burgundy and just about everywhere else is producer, producer, producer. Bourgognes from top producers can be superb. I.ve had captivating ones from Leroy, Michel Lafarge and Coche-Dury, and the Bourgognes of Henri Jayer are legendary, even more so now that they are no longer produced. Still, Bourgognes, whether red or white, rarely have the extra dimensions of pleasure and insight that come from putting aromas and flavors together with particular plots of earth. The appellation system, in the end, has a great deal of logic to it. Often, the desirability of Bourgogne wines comes down to the usual price-to-value ratio. What are you getting for the money? In a recent tasting, the Dining section.s wine panel sought answers by sampling 20 bottles of Bourgogne from the 2008 vintage . 10 white and 10 red. Florence Fabricant and I were joined by Michael Madrigale, the sommelier at Bar Boulud, and Juliette Pope, wine director at Gramercy Tavern. The 2008 vintage was an odd one, reminiscent of decades past when cool weather and rain made ripening difficult. Even 25 years ago, the vintage might have been a washout, but vastly improved viticulture and cellar work not only salvaged a decent but small crop, but also resulted in wines that can be quite good. Nonetheless, we found a pronounced difference in quality between the reds and the whites, with the disclaimer that any generalizations are based on an admittedly small sample. The whites seemed both fresh and rich, displaying the purity and minerality that one seeks in white Burgundy. We would even be happy to drink the five whites that did not make our list. The reds, on the other hand, were less consistent. Our favorites were attractive, with sweet red fruit, well-integrated oak, and mineral and herbal flavors. On the other end were weedy, seemingly under-ripe wines with none of the pleasure of the lower-end whites. All the reds, and the whites, too, showed plenty of acidity. The trick, for the reds at least, was achieving enough body and fruit for balance. For his part, Michael said he found just what he had hoped for in the wines: .They showed the characteristics of the vintage. That.s all I really want.. Speaking of the reds, he noted the high acidity and under-ripe flavors. .I don.t want to taste manipulations to make them more palatable,. he added. .These are real wines.. That attitude might seem a bit academic, but that.s one of the beauties of Burgundy. You want wines that are true not only to their terroirs, but also to their vintages. Nonetheless, you must choose carefully among the reds if you want pleasure as well. Juliette was a little easier on the reds than Florence or I was, though she conceded she had a soft spot for them. Speaking of both the reds and whites, she said: .They were true to type and terroir, with a purity of fruit and minerality. They.re refreshing and great for the table.. Certainly that was true of our top wines. Our No. 1 white, from the reliably excellent Jean-Philippe Fichet, was fresh and vibrant, with just enough richness to suggest the grapes had come from the C�te-de-Beaune rather than the M�connais. Our No. 2 white, from Beno�t Ente, was tense and tightly coiled, with pure fruit and mineral flavors. They are not inexpensive at $27 and $32, but as good, young white Burgundies they seemed to me to offer excellent value. Nonetheless, our best value white at $18 was our No. 3 bottle, from Thierry & Pascale Matrot, which, if it did not have the energy of the Fichet or Ente, did not lack for savory flavors. Among the reds, our best value at $17 was also our favorite, the Billard-Gonnet Vieilles Vignes, a textbook red Burgundy, with pure, sweet red fruit along with a touch of herbal and mineral flavors for complexity.s sake. Both our No. 2, G�rard Mugneret, and No. 3, Virgile Lignier-Michelot, showed more intensity of flavor, but lacked the finesse and balance of the Billard-Gonnet. These top reds, too, are good values and worth seeking out. By the way, our very pleasing No. 4 red came from Domaine Roulot, a superb producer better known for its whites. Somehow, we missed the Roulot Bourgogne blanc in our tasting, But I highly recommend that wine as well. While I said Bourgognes represented the lowest form of the region.s pinot noir and chardonnay wines, it is possible to go even lower on the appellation hierarchy. Those would be the blends: Bourgogne Passetoutgrains, pinot noir with gamay; Bourgogne Aligot�, generally aligot� with chardonnay, and Bourgogne Grand Ordinaire, a blend with many possibilities. Even with these appellations of low esteem, the producer counts greatly. I recently drank a 2006 Bourgogne Aligot� from Domaine Leroy, one of the best producers in Burgundy. The wine? Surprisingly rich, pleasantly complex, absolutely delicious. Tasting Report WHITES Jean-Philippe Fichet, $27, *** � Bourgogne Vieilles Vignes 2008 Fresh, vibrant and delicious with rich texture and balanced, lingering mineral flavors. (A Rare Wine Company Selection/Vieux Vins, Vineburg, Calif.) Beno�t Ente, $32, *** Bourgogne 2008 Tightly coiled and pure with fresh flavors of apples, minerals and oak. (A Becky Wasserman Selection/U.S.A. Wine Imports, New York) BEST VALUE Thierry & Pascale Matrot, $18, ** � Bourgogne 2008 Lean and firm with savory aromas of lemon, herbs and minerals. (Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, Ala.) Joseph Faiveley, $17, ** � Bourgogne 2008 Well-knit with long, lingering flavors of herbs, citrus and earth. (Wilson-Daniels, St. Helena, Calif.) Bernard Moreau & Fils, $27, ** � Bourgogne 2008 Racy and round with flavors of hazelnut, citrus and apples. (The Sorting Table, Napa, Calif.) REDS BEST VALUE Billard-Gonnet, $17, *** Bourgogne Vieilles Vignes 2008 Aromas and flavors of sweet red fruit, herbs, flowers and minerals. (Vintage Trading, New York) G�rard Mugneret, $25, ** � Bourgogne 2008 Aromas of earthy red fruit, silky texture and prominent acidity. (A Becky Wasserman Selection/Polaner Selections, Mount Kisco, N.Y.) Virgile Lignier-Michelot, $23, ** � Bourgogne 2008 Intense fruit flavors with cinnamon and mineral accents. (A Becky Wasserman Selection/Polaner Selections, Mount Kisco, N.Y.) Domaine Roulot, $30, ** � Bourgogne 2008 Flavors of red fruit, herbs and dried flowers with plenty of acidity. (Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, Calif.) Marchand Fr�res, $17, ** � Bourgogne Vieilles Vignes 2008 Full-bodied with lingering flavors of red fruit and more than a touch of oak. (Margate Wines and Spirits, Atlantic City, N.J.)