Burgundy 2009 first impressions

First impressions of 2009 Burgundy, from a number of tastings this week, point to a round, very rich vintage that is immediately approachable in its youth but capable of ageing as well. Despite its potential, prices also remain on a par with previous years.

Jason Haynes, director of Flint Wines, told the drinks business that although prices had risen slightly due to the quality of the vintage, the Burgundians hadn’t “done a Bordelais” and vastly inflated prices.

“Prices are up anywhere between 5% and 35% a bottle on 2008,” he said, “but 10% to 15% is the average. There’s greater demand for 2009 than 2008 so I’d say it’s fair.”

He added that as the quality was so uniform, 2009 is a good vintage to buy all the way down to village wines.

Although the red wines are impressive across the spectrum, the Côte-de-Nuits performed particularly well; its better vineyards and greater minerality helping to counter-balance the lack of acidity in such a ripe vintage and keep the wines fresh.

The whites needed particular attention to prevent over-ripe, fat wines and Haynes commented that the best examples come from “vineyards on very stony soil or on the higher parts of the slopes."

“The minerality and vibrancy of their wines has helped to lift the naturally rich fruit flavours of the vintage,” said Haynes. “For example, Caillerets in Chassagne-Montrachet, Chatenière in Saint-Aubin and Les Perrières in Puligny-Montrachet.”

Luckily, Haynes concluded, the “Burgundians were wary of over-ripeness,” and so generally picked a lot earlier to compensate.

The problem of little acidity and over-ripeness was a particular problem for regions like Chablis, that rely on cool minerality as their signature.

Charles Hawkins, managing director of Charles Hawkins & Partners, said that it was a very “Burgundian vintage, rounder, fuller and at times lacking a bit of acidity and without the bite of a proper Chablis.”

This was not a universal criticism and producers and merchants alike spoke of 2009 being a very “commercial vintage” and one that would sell with ease.

Jean-Philippe Archambaud, director of Simonnet-Febvre, said that the real challenge for 2009 would be convincing customers to drink or list the 2009s “before 2007 and 2008, which are more classic and need more time compared to ’09, which is more commercial, rounder and fruitier”.

Rupert Millar, 13.01.2011