The Smart Money is on Smaller Burgundy Appellations and Producers

Smaller Burgundy Appellations and Producers and The Hidden Gems From Burgundy

Our world is a risky place to live in at the moment, and recent years seem to have shown that in sharp focus. Wars, pandemics, political changes and the rise of technology and new threats have meant that people are cautious, especially when it comes to spending money. Recently, those prestigious names in wine that you once might have splashed out on seem a little bit harder to justify. Now, lesser-known names of producers whose wines taste just as good as the big names are looking like the sensible choice. Likewise with smaller Burgundy appellations. The smart money is on smarter shopping. Maybe you buy less, but you buy better.

Of course, these things tend to be cyclical; in the times when we tighten our belt, we’ll change our buying habits. Then if (when!) things get better, or there’s a really special occasion, we’ll plan and invest in it when we can. But it’s when we’re being careful that knowledge really comes into its own. The more you know about something, the more likely you are to be able to know how to save money – to find and buy the best you can afford. That's why this article uncovers some of the best value smaller Burgundy appellations that we recommend you try out. Happy hunting!

Undiscovered Gems of Burgundy Wine

One of the best examples of smaller Burgundy appellations playing with the big boys and punching well above their weight is the Cote de Nuits appellation Fixin. It is talked of as a cousin of Gevrey-Chambertin, a much more well-known appellation which has the same soil make up (and higher prices too). Despite its smaller reputation, Fixin has made the headlines in recent years, (most notably in this New York Time article) because producers like our friend Benigne Joliet make such high-quality wines. What you’re getting in effect is a Grand Cru level wine for a Premier Cru price, and a reasonable one at that. He made the decision to buy his land at Premier Cru level to avoid the higher land taxes for Grand Crus – and thus kept down the price for the consumer.

Then you have the often unheard of appellation of Irancy, about 15km from Chablis, and having always existed in the shadow of all the more famous red wines to its south. But hold on a minute… what we have here are red wines which represents a really exciting expression of Pinot Noir, affordable too, and real contenders. It proves you don’t have to look for the big names of the Côte de Nuits to find quality. These wines are interesting for another reason – they are allowed to include up to 10% of a grape called César, in addition to the standard Pinot Noir. It brings color and backbone to the wines, which are sometimes floral, often peppery, with a great structure and balance of acidity.

Take the appellation of Ladoix, for another example. In the wines of this somewhat smaller Burgundy appellation you get big-name quality but at more affordable prices. These wines aren’t widely known by any means, but amongst those who have tried them they have developed a very loyal fan base. Why? Because they grow on some of the most hallowed ground in all of Burgundy – the same terroir that the famous names of Aloxe-Corton and Pernand-Vergelesses grows on. That’s why the whites from this appellation exhibit the exact same minerality as their famous neighbors up the slope, meaning their whites are of the very highest quality. The reds are too, with the typical Cote de Beaune cherry hints, but without the associated price tag. They’re silky and full of finesse.

Other names we can recommend when it comes to smaller Burgundy appellations include the Couchois, Maranges, Bouzeron, Rully and Monthélie, to name but a few. If the names aren’t familiar, you could be in for a very pleasant surprise!

The Best Small Burgundy Producers at BurgundyWine.com

But if you do want a big-name buy, the less well-known producers are where the hidden gems lie. That’s why BurgundyWine.com exists – to discover them and bring their wines to you. Drinking a Capitain-Gagnerot Corton-Charlemagne instead of the more well-known but much higher-priced Coche-Dury Corton-Charlemagne, which is priced in the many thousands of Euros, for example, is no kind of a hardship. Small-scale production does not mean small-scale quality or value. They don't go in for hype and publicity much at Capitain-Gagnerot, but they easily rank alongside their more prestigious peers as one of the best wines from this region you can lay your hands on.

That Leflaive Clavoillon Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru might be at the top of your ‘most wanted’ list, but maybe it’s not absolutely necessary this year, especially as many of us are still tightening our belts from the recent pressures on the cost of living. A Domaine Jean Fery Puligny-Montrachet 'Les Nosroyes' is a worthy replacement, from a producer who lives in a beautiful village between Nuits-Saint-George and the regional capital Beaune. When you go for a smaller producer’s Puligny Montrachet you get a more agreeable price but lose none of the complexity – rich and supple, lemony and floral, with hints of toast and nuts, this is one of the domaine’s signature wines.

A recent study from the University of Illinois published in Food Policy found that wine is a prime target for import tariffs (something consumers and those in the industry have long known), even though it’s a product far removed from the conflicts and machinations that plague our modern world. The European Union produces 60% of the world's wine and accounts for 67% of global exports. But U.S. tariffs have targeted $4.5 billion worth of food and agricultural exports from Europe, and wine accounted for one third of this.

If it’s not tariffs that are causing trouble then its supply of natural resources. A shortage of glass bottles was been talked of recently; cobalt, copper, and nickel are in short supply, and are all needed for colored glass manufacturing. Some bottles have risen in price as much as 20% recently, which is often passed on to the consumer.

There will always be fluctuating pressures on supply, demand and price, in whatever industry you care to mention. Wine is no different. Except that by getting to know the best smaller Burgundy appellations and small producers, and tapping into decades of on-the-ground experience that BurgundyWine.com by Elden Selections has, there will always be affordable Burgundy wine to enjoy with friends and family. And that’s a price surely worth paying.