Oregon Pinot Noir 2004

Oregon may seem anachronistic in comparison to California, but it’s Pinot Noirs are thoroughly modern. Oregon got a bit of late start in winegrowing. The first serious vinifera vineyards were planted in the mid 1960s by pioneers such as David Lett, Dick Erath, and the Sokol-Blossers, among others. It did not take Oregon long to catch up. In 1970, there were 5 wineries and 35 vineyard acres; today there are more than 11,100 vineyard acres and 364 wineries. Oregon has the third largest numbers of wineries in the United States behind California (1,905) and Washington state (430). Pinot Noir is the most widely planted grape by far (nearly 50% of all vineyard plantings), but 41 varietals are scattered in vineyards throughout the state.

Although Oregon has done well to promote its healthy wine industry, a few curiosities arise. The state beverage is milk despite the fact that wine is now the state’s most visible agricultural product and the state flower is the Oregon grape which is actually a holly bush and not a wine grape at all. Rain is synonymous with Oregon, but unfairly so, for in the Willamette Valley where much of wine grape farming occurs, there is no more rain than other cool-climate wine growing regions of the world. That is not to say that rain isn’t a problem, for much of Oregon’s rainfall occurs in the spring and fall (as well as through the winter), with dry conditions in mid summer.

The Willamette Valley was Oregon’s first formal American Viticultural Area (AVA), created in 1984. Unofficially, it is divided into north and south halves along the 45th parallel and extends from Portland in the north to Eugene in the south. There are now 15 AVAs in Oregon and 6 sub-AVAs in the Willamette Valley. The newest AVA, Chehalem Mountains, was only recently approved. The sub-AVA designations have started to appear on wine labels (replacing ‘Willamette Valley’) with the 2004 and 2005 vintages. A map of the sub-AVAs of the Willamette Valley is on page 2.

The AVAs are largely characterized by their soils. There are two main types: (1) red volcanic basalt soils known as ’Jory’ from 13 million year-old lava flows, and (2) brown marine sedimentary soils known as “Willakenzie’ laid down under the ocean 20 million years ago. The AVAs encompass hillsides with vineyards located at 200-1000 ft. The valley floor is composed of rich, alluvial soils which are best suited for crops such as grain, grass seed, and fruit trees.

Key: Yellow - Chehalem Mountains; Beige - Yamhill-Carlton; Green - Ribbon Ridge; Orange - Dundee Hills; Light Blue - McMinnville; Dark Blue - Eola-Amita Hills

Some generalizations regarding flavor and style of Pinot Noir can be made for the appellations based on the differences in soil type. The AVAs with Jory soils like Dundee Hills, Eola-Amity Hills and parts of Chehalem Mountains and McMinnville tend to produce Pinot Noirs with bright red fruits including cherry and raspberry, and are softly textured. The Pinot Noirs from AVAs with Willakenzie soils like Yamhill-Carlton, Ribbon Ridge, and parts of Chehalem Mountains and McMinnville typically offer more dark fruit, spice (cola, anise), and wet leaf flavors and tend to be more tannic and structured. By magnifying the map on page 2, you can pinpoint many prominent Oregon wineries to their appellation. The best way to get a feel for the Willamette Valley terrain is to visit. All of the appellations are contiguous, easily explored by car over the course of a few days, and only a 45-90 minute drive from Portland.

Vintages in Oregon are, like Burgundy, at the mercy of climatic conditions during the growing season. From 1995-1997, Oregon experienced extremes of rainfall which led to poor vintages for Pinot Noir. Then there was a run of consistently fine vintages from 1998 until 2002. 2003 was an anomaly, the hottest and driest year on record in the Willamette Valley. The Pinot Noirs had elevated sugar levels, high extraction, high alcohol, and raisin flavors. 2004, 2005, and 2006 resumed the string of fine vintages prior to 2003. According to winegeeks.com, the following vintages were “great”: 1998, 2000, 2001, and 2003, and the remaining ones “outstanding”: 1999, 2002, and 2004. Oregon Wine Press (Dec 2006/January 2007) calls the 2006 vintage ‘close to perfect,’ with plentiful yields combined with mature flavors.

The Oregon Pinot Noirs from the 2004 vintage are available now as many of the early 2005 vintage wines began to appear in the marketplace. Jean, at avalonwine.com, glows: “We love Oregon’s 2004 Pinot Noir vintage. There’s a juicy, sweet, uplifting raciness to the wines, a product of cooler temperatures, great natural acidity, and well-ripened fruit harvested before the rains. I like the 2004 Pinot Noir’s hallmark quality - a combination of an initial burst of sweet fruit with an enlivening streak of acidity and tannins that structure the wines but don’t interrupt the enjoyment of layers of flavors in the finish.” avalonwine.com, 9/21/04) as a “vintage of complex challenges that required skillful viticulture techniques and good decision making in the vineyard.” 2004 began in January with a winter freeze that damaged many young vines. In April, warm days were followed quickly by colder weather and sporadic rains that decreased fruit set, caused irregular cluster and berry size and reduced overall crop size. But, as grower Dick Shea pointed out, poor fruit set is not necessarily a bad thing for it limits yields to about 2 tons per acre which is ideal. In essence, nature does some of the crop thinning for the grower. Also, smaller berries mean increased ratio of skin to juice and potentially more flavorful wine. The summer was warm and dry, but cold and wet weather set in early in September. Mildew threat was evident. Luckily, sunny, cool weather prevailed by the end of September and winds kept rot at bay. The crop, although reduced in size, reached maturity and the quality of the fruit was generally good.

I recently had the opportunity to blind taste through a number of premium Oregon Pinot Noirs from the 2004 vintage. After the blind tasting, I revisited the wines over a few hours. The wines ranged in price from $25 to $50, and wouldn’t you just know it, my favorite was the most expensive. The alcohol levels were moderate, ranging from 13.0% to 14.5%. The most striking feature to me was the healthy acid spine in all of the wines making them more welcome at the table than in a blind tasting lineup. Several had hard tannins that I suspect will soften over time in the bottle. The perceived tannins were probably accentuated by the notable acidity. The best displayed alluring aromatics, beautiful plump, sweet fruit, and extended, complex finishes. Most of them are still available on the market (look to www.avalonwine.com in Corvallis, Oregon as an excellent source). I have also included a number of other Oregon Pinot Noirs I sampled in my usual fashion (non-blind).

Top Beaver

Winter’s Hill Vineyard also has released a 2004 Pommard Clone Cuvee ($38) and a 2004 Dundee Hills Pinot Noir ($28). The winery has a tasting room at the vineyard, 6451 Hilltop Lane, Lafayette, Oregon, open Fri-Mon or by appointment (503-864-4610). The wines are available for sale on the website, www.wintershillwine.com.

Prime Beavers

Dusky Goose address is PO Box 40, Dundee, Oregon 97115, and the phone is 503-542-4298.

Argyle Winery is located at 691 Highway 99W, Dundee, Oregon 97115. The tasting room is open 11-5 daily. The wines may be purchased online at www.argylewinery.com or by phoning the winery at 1-884-ARGYLE. They are one of the few wineries in Oregon to make sparkling wine as well.

Le Cadeau Vineyard is located near Newburg and north of Dundee, Oregon. The phone is 612-799- 8969. The two other 2004 releases are reviewed below. The wines have limited retail distribution including www.avalonwine.com.

Domaine Drouhin Oregon is located at 6750 NE Breyman Orchards Rd, Dayton, Oregon 97114. A tasting room is open Wed-Sun from 11-4. Tours are available by appointment (503-864-2700). The wines are available on the website, www.domainedrouhin.com. There is also good retail distribution for this Pinot Noir.

Choice Beavers

These wines were perfectly decent and recommended as well.

Other wines included in this blind tasting were: 2004 Daedalus Cellars Labyrinth Pinot Noir 14.1% alc., $40, 2004 Carabella Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 13.9% alc., $43, 2004 Cherry Hill Winery Estate Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 13.4% alc., $31, 2004 Cubanismo Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 13.0% alc., $28, and 2004 Stevenson Barrie Freedom Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir 13.0% alc., $30.

Additional Oregon Pinot Noirs

White Rose Wines are sold at fine retail stores in California and Oregon and through the winery located at 6250 NE Hilltop Lane, Dayton, Oregon 97114. The phone is 949-275-8021. The website is www.whiterosewines.com. Find out more about Greg from his interview on graperadio.com.

Domaine Serene is located at 6555 NE Hilltop Lane, Dayton, Oregon 97114. The phone is 503-864- 4600. The website is www.domaineserene.com. A tasting room is open much of the year. This is a magnificent winery that has all of the state-of-the-art goodies. Winemaker Tony Rynders is talented and his wines have been revered by a faithful consumer base and the wine press for years (the winery is now celebrating a 15 year anniversary). I come away with a feeling that the Pinot Noirs are manufactured and without soul. I have also been put off somewhat by the steep prices and my tasting of the above wines would seem to reinforce my previous lack of interest. There is no doubting, however, that this winery is fully committed to quality premium wines and those with the wallet to investigate should seriously look at this winery’s portfolio. The 2003 vintage, a difficult and extremely hot one, may not be representative of the best this winery can offer.

If you love Oregon Pinot Noir, or even if you are the least bit curious in finding out what the fuss is all about, you should attend the annual International Pinot Noir Celebration in McMinnville, Oregon. The 2007 Celebration, which marks the 21st year, will be held July 27-29, 2007 on the campus of Linfield College. This is an annual weekend of international friendship, wine, food and fun, where winemakers and Pinot lovers from around the world gather to celebrate Pinot Noir. The event emphasizes the spirit of friendship and the common pursuit of Pinot Noir in all of its grand diversity. No competition allowed. Registration is very limited and still open at www.ipnc.org. Come drink Pinot with the Prince! I would love to meet you there.

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Only Pinot Noir will do on Valentine’s Day

When you think about what to drink with your wife and/or husband or other loved one on Valentine’s Day, there really is only one choice: Pinot Noir. Your only decision is deciding what expression of that sensual grape you are going to choose.

Rosé Champagnes are pretty wines associated with romance and celebration. Veuve Clicquot invented rosé Champagne in 1777. Most recently rosé Champagnes have become quite fashionable and the prices have escalated accordingly. You end up paying dearly for that pretty pink color. Vintage rosé Champagnes are priced significantly above non vintage ones. However, when seduction is the intended aim, price may not be a significant consideration. The advantage of rosé Champagne is that it can be drank before the meal and throughout the meal. It’s added structure compared to other Champagnes allow it to be comfortably paired with fish, pork, chicken, even beef. Rosé Champagne is usually produced by the saignée method, that is, macerating the juice of the Pinot Noir or Pinot Meunier grapes with their skins. Less often, red wine is added to a base wine. Some recommended producers include Billecart-Salmon, Taittinger, Veuve Clicquot, Delamotte, Nicolas Feullatte, Laurent-Perrier, and Perrier Jouet. There are a number of fine California sparkling rosés as well including J, Etiole, Schramsberg, Mumm, and Gloria Ferrer. This month, Merry Edwards released a 2000 Russian River Valley Cuvée Meredith Sparkling Wine (200 cases, $75). This was produced from the first harvest of Pinot Noir at Meredith Estate. The wine was aged en triage for five years and the bottles were shaken every six months. Disgorging took place in July of 2006. This is the first sparkling wine from Merry Edwards offered to the public. It is available through the winery’s mailing list (www.merryedwards.com). Brut rosés are also worth consideration. They contain a combination of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier in varying amounts. One of my favorites is the 2001 Soter Wineyards Beacon Hill Brut Rose (748 cases, $45) from the Willamette Valley which is 65% Chardonnay and 35% Pinot Noir.

Rosé still wines have become quite en vogue. Rosé is the French word for pink and pink still wines masquerade under names such as summer wine, blush wine and vin gris. Despite their strong affinity for food, wine connoisseurs have snubbed them, largely as a result of the slightly sweet blush wine, white Zinfandel. Actually white zinfandel is not produced in the fashion of a true rosé. It is a result of bleeding a red Zinfandel by taking away a quantity of liquid so that the resulting Zinfandel wine is more concentrated. The lighter remainder is sold as white Zinfandel. True rosé is produced by allowing grape juice to remain in contact with skins of dark grapes (any red varietal can be used) only long enough to achieve the desired degree of pinkness, and then fermented to dryness. There are many producers of premium Pinot Noir in California and Oregon that now produce a rosé of Pinot Noir. I recently tasted through a number of Pinot Noir rosés. I have deleted detailed tasting notes for brevity. The wines are generally best when chilled and offer fresh, clean flavors of strawberries, watermelon, cherries, citrus, herbs, and spice. They should be drunk within two years of release. My favorite was the 2005 Lynmar Russian River Valley Vin Gris ($24, now available for $18). Other excellent examples include 2006 ThinkPink (Red Car Wine Co, $20), 2005 Etude Estate Rosé of Pinot Noir (2800 cases, $20), 2005 Saintsbury Vincent Vin Gris ($14), and 2005 Eric Kent Rosé ($19). From Oregon, consider Beaux Frerres (Belle Soeurs), Soter Vineyards, Territorial, Van Duzer, and Winter’s Hill.

For serious lovers on Valentine’s day, regular Pinot Noir is the drink of choice. Canadian writer Konrad Ejbich claims to look for places where he ”can drink it with one hand under the table” and describes it as “heaven in a glass ... the color of ruby lips". It smells like great sex and tastes like the ripest strawberries, raspberries and black cherries all at once.” The pheromones of the Pinot Noir grape are very closely related to male pheromones. All of the aromas in the Pinot Noir grape like spice, musk, earth, and barnyard are associated with the principal male smell, andosterone. Truffles, vanilla, and oaky smells of Pinot Noir aged in oak barrels are also androsterone-like. These smells can unlock powerful memories and open the door to lust and desire. With both the olfactory system and our emotional center located in the frontal lobes, is it any wonder that a great Pinot Noir gets you a sure thing? If it wasn’t for all those pheromones and Pinot Noir, we might still be apes.

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Dimple Dipping

I was drinking the Domaine Serene Coeur Blanc (see page 7) recently and was astonished by the depth of the punt or dimple, the deep indentation in a bottle’s butt. This brought back memories of a British study that showed it is possible to determine the value of a bottle of wine by feeling the depth of its dimple. Previously this was thought to be an urban myth, but some researchers with nothing better to do actually measured bottles of wine of different prices. It was shown that more expensive wines had deeper dimples. The relationship between depth and price could be expressed by the equation: price of bottle - dimple depth in millimeters + $5.64/4.314. The home-made depth gauge, which was used by researchers to make the measurements, was auctioned off on eBay.

I went into my own cellar to feel a few dimples. I used my two fingers (index and middle) as a depth gauge - grading the depth of the dimple as none, first knuckle, and second knuckle. Some dimples have a nipple at the depth of the depression which can affect the measurement. I sampled several bottles and I found that the scientific results reported by Dr. Karl Blanks are valid. Some of my cheapo Pinot Noirs (for unwanted guests, relatives, and cooking), had no dimple at all. Most wines had a one knuckle dimple. This seems to be the common dimple size. One of the deepest dimples I found (over two knuckles) was the Domaine Serene Coeur Blanc ($60) and the Sine Qua Non Holler M Shea Vineyard Pinot Noir ($200 on secondary market).

Now when you are at a party you can amaze the crowd by feeling the dimple and picking out the most expensive wines. When you are at your local wine merchant, you can wager a bottle of good Pinot on whether you can tell the more expensive bottle by holding the bottle (and subtlety putting your two fingers into the dimple). Just don’t overdo it, people might think you are some kind of weirdo.

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GPS-Plotted Sonoma Wine Maps

The Wine Map store in Windsor, California has linked up with the Sonoma County Winegrape Commisiion to produce accurate maps of Sonoma County showing locations of vineyards, wineries, and AVA boundaries which are updated revisions of the 1998 Sonoma County viticultural map series. The maps are unique in that they were created using a Global Positioning System and digitalized to allow future updates to be easily incorporated into the maps. The Sonoma County AVA map as well as individual AVA maps of vineyards, wineries and tasting rooms are available in a 30 x 40 inch size for $30.

In addition, at www.themapstore.com, there are free interactive virtual maps of Sonoma County which allow you to navigate to locate events, hotels, restaurants, wineries (with links to websites), soils, and roads (even dirt ones).

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Aubert Wine Dinner

This past Saturday I was fortunate to attend a major wine tasting event at Pinot Provence Restaurant in Costa Mesa, California. Jay Selman of GrapeRadio.com assembled an impressive lineup of wines of Mark Aubert which were presented along with a four course dinner (menu on page 12). The 45 wine enthusiasts who attended were energized by the wines and the room rang with conviviality. All of the wines were donated by those lucky enough to be on the Aubert mailing list and this provided an opportunity for others to sample wines they had only heard about. In addition, the evening began with 1998 Dom Perignon and finished with both the 2001 and 2002 d’Yquem. Unadulterated decadence!

Mark Aubert has a distinguished winemaking career including ten years at Peter Michael. He grew up in the Napa Valley where he was more likely to drink wine and Champagne than beer. His father was a pharmacist who made Petite Syrah and Cabernet on the side. Mark graduated from Fresno State with a degree in enology and minors in chemistry and viticulture. He began his life as a winemaker at Monticello where he made their first leesstirred Chardonnay. He struck up a friendship with Helen Turley who was consulting for Peter Michael. When the assistant winemaker at Peter Michael departed, Helen hired Mark. In 2000, Mark left Peter Michael to become the winemaker for Colgin, again replacing Helen Turley. At the same time, he started his own label, Aubert Wines. He bought a 7-acre Chardonnay vineyard in the Vine Hill area near Forestville (renamed Lauren Vineyard) and near by planted another vineyard with 6 acres of Chardonnay and 1.5 acres of Pinot Noir (Reuling Vineyard). The budwood for the Reuling Vineyard is from a famous source in Vosne-Romanee. He currently has four vineyard-designated Chardonnays (Ritchie Vineyard, Quarry Vineyard, Reuling Vineyard, Lauren Vineyard) and two Pinot Noirs (Reuling Vineyard, UV Vineyard), all in the Sonoma Coast appellation. Mark is a true garariste and his tasting room is an unpretentious metal shed.

Mark has a love for Burgundy and is a fan of Dujac, Jayer, Leroy and Meo-Camuzet (who isn’t?). His initial Pinot Noir releases were the 2004 Reuling Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir (100 cases - 4 barrels) and the 2004 UV Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir (also made in very small quantities). These wines are sold by invitation through a mailing list (www.aubertwines.com, 707-942-5611). Mark’s wife, Teresa handles the business side of the label.

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2007 Hospices of Sonoma

The 2007 Hospices of Sonoma will be held Saturday, April 21, at the Warren G. Dutton, Jr. Agricultural Pavilion at Shone Farm in Forestville. This is the nation’s largest Pinot Noir barrel auction. The beneficiaries include the Children’s Village of Sonoma County (provides nurturing stable family homes in a multi-generational, enriched environment for children and their siblings in foster care), the Okizu Foundation (based in Novato, this organization provides services and support to families with children battling cancer), the WCC Charitable Foundation (provides direct grants to children at risk in Sonoma County), and Barry Zito’s “Strikeouts for Troops” (a charity founded by baseball pitcher Barry Zito, to support injured military service members and their families).

The Hospices of Sonoma weekend begins with limited-seating dinners at selected wineries on Friday evening, April 20 ($125 pp). The Saturday event begins with a pre-auction barrel tasting at 3:30 PM, followed by a dinner, the auction, and a performance by singer Eddie Money and his band ($325 pp). A weekend combination package for both Friday and Saturday is available for $400.

The event features donations of half barrels of one-of-a-kind Pinot Noirs crafted specifically for the auction by 35 to 40 of top Pinot Noir producers in the Sonoma Coast, Russian River Valley, Green Valley and Carneros (Sonoma) appellations. A half barrel is auctioned off in two lots, each consisting of five cases of wine. The wines are bottled with a distinctive Hospices of Sonoma wine label and a personalized cuvee name designated by the buyer.

Last year the event raised $350,000. The single largest bid was $10,000 for five cases of goldridgepinot. Other high bids included Kosta Browne ($7,200), Radio- Coteau ($6,800), Lynmar ($6,500), Scherrer ($6,000), and Patz & Hall ($6,000).

Participating producers this year include: Chasseur, Davis Family Vineyards, De Loach Vineyards, The Donum Estate, DuNah Vineyard & Winery, Dutton Estate Winery, Dutton-Goldfield, Failla Wines, Flowers Vineyard & Winery, Foppiano Vineyards, Freeman Vineyards & Winery, Gary Farrell Vineyards & Winery, Gloria Ferrer, goldridgepinot, Halleck Vineyard, Hartford Family Winery, Inman Family Wines, Iron Horse Vineyards, J Vineyards & Winery, Kosta Browne Winery, Landmark Vineyards, Lynmar Winery, MacMurray Ranch, MacPhail, Marimar Estate, Martinelli, Olivet lane Vineyard, Patz & Hall Wine Co, Paul Hobbs Wines, Radio- Coteau, Russian Hill Estate Winery, Schug Carneros Estate, Siduri Winery, Tandem Winery, TR Elliott, and Wild Hog Vineyard.

I will be attending the event and hope to meet up with some of the Crew to taste some one-of-a-kind Pinot Noirs for a very special cause.

Tickets are now available: 707-823-9463, www.hospicesofsonoma.org.

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Pinot Paradise

They call the Santa Cruz Mountains a “paradise for Pinot Noir,” and this annual event celebrates the bounty from the many small wineries scattered throughout the appellation. The region has been receiving considerable recognition recently for its distinctive Pinot Noirs. (see PinotFile, Volume 5, Issue 30).

On Saturday, March 17, 2007, from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM wineries will be open for tours and tasting. Called the Pathway to Pinot Paradise, this event is only $25 per person. Many of these wineries are small, family-owned affairs that are not usually open to the public. It is a great opportunity to poke around the mountain landscape and discover hidden tiny wineries that specialize in Pinot Noir. Participating wineries include Bargetto Winery, Beauregard Vineyards, Burrell School Vineyards, Domenico Winery, Generosa Winery, Hallcrest Vineyards, Martin Alfaro Family Vineyards, Nicholson Vineyards, Pleasant Valley Vineyards, Roudon-Smith Winery, Silver Mountain Vineyards, Sonnet Wines, Thomas Fogerty Vineyards & Winery, Vine Hill Winery, Windy Oaks Estate Vineyards & Winery.

On Sunday morning, March 18, 2007 there are Technical Sessions at Villa Ragusa in Campbell ($65 per person including lunch). Featured speakers are John Haeger, author of North American Pinot Noir, Prudy Foxx, vineyard consultant in the Santa Cruz Mountains, Jim Schultze, proprietor of Windy Oaks Estate Vineyards & Winery, Jerome Aubin, representing Tonnellerie Rousseau in Burgundy, France, and Jeff Bareilles, Sommelier at Manresa Restaurant who will lead the group through a comparative tasting of Pinot Noirs from Santa Barbara, Santa Lucia Highlands, Santa Cruz Mountains, Russian River Valley, and the Willamette Valley. Lunch will be next door at the Sonoma Chicken Coop.

On Sunday, March 18, from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM the Grand Cruz Tasting ($65 per person) will be held at Villa Ragusa with over 26 producers (many listed above) pouring their Pinot Noirs.

For reservations and tickers call the Santa Cruz Mountains Winegrowers’ Association at 831-685-8463 or visit the website, www.scmwa.com. A Paradise Pass for both Saturday and Sunday events is $125 per person. Useful lodging and restaurant information is also available on the SCMWA website.

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A Case of Bien Nacido

Bien Nacido Vineyards in the Santa Maria Valley has released its inaugural Bien Nacido Collectors Case. This is a singular offering of Bien Nacido Pinot Noirs, Chardonnays, Syrahs, and Pinot Blancs. The goal is to exhibit the typicity of the Bien Nacido Vineyard while saluting the stylistic choices of some of California’s most talented winemakers. The selections will change with subsequent vintages.

The Pinot Noir producers included in the first Collectors Case are Nicolaysen, Lane Tanner, and Stephen Ross. Other producers offering other varietals are Jaffurs, Ojai Vineyard, Qupe, Summerland, Tantara, Au Bon Climat, Makor, Trou de Blonde, and J. Wilkes. One bottle from 12 different producers.

The price is $395 a case. For further information and ordering go to www.biennacidovineyards.com.

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2005 Burgundy - First Reports are Glowing

Alan Meadows, aka the Burghound (www.burghound.com) has been studying and drinking Burgundy for over 30 years. His opinions on Burgundy are unmatched in the wine world. So when his latest review of the 2005 and 2004 vintages of the Cote de Nuits starts with the declaration, “2005: Arguably the Best Vintage in a Generation,” you have to take notice.

Meadows has heard a lot of vintage hype for years, but 2005 appears to be the real deal. He says “2005 is quite simply the best top to bottom vintage that I have ever seen, period, full stop. 2005 is so good that it blows the next closest recent contender, 1999, right out of the water. In short, mortgage your house, sell your dog, hock your spouse (but don’t forget where, you’ll eventually need someone to enjoy these wines with!) or do whatever you have to do but don’t miss the best wines of the vintage or you will I believe live to regret it. Finally, just to be sure that I have your attention, the 2005s are the best wines since the magnificent 1978s.”

There is always some bad news to go with the good news and in this case (sic), the 2005 Burgundies will cost you some serious money. According to Meadows, “The first tranche pricing that I have seen is up 10 to 20% over 2004, which given the superior quality is reasonable. Second and later tranche pricing though is likely to get ugly.” One important thing to remember is the quality is great from top to bottom, meaning Bourgogne and Village level wines from top producers will be ones to search for with selective purchasing of 1er Crus. The Grand Crus will be beyond most drinker’s reach and easily rival their 2003 Bordeaux first growth counterparts in price. The old saying, “Burgundy is great if you can get someone else to buy it for you,” definitely applies here.

For a full report on the 2005 Burgundies including extensive tasting notes, subscribe to the burghound reports issued quarterly. The cost is $125 per year ($225 for 2 years) for the electronic version. The subscription also includes access to the largest database of drinking notes on Burgundies going back to many distinguished older vintages of the last century. Called the “ultimate Burgundy reference”, this is no overstatement.