Welcome to WineChap’s column “Economical Expeditions” wherein myself and WineChap contributor Zachary Sussman will be sailing a figurative tall ship around the world—possibly battling scurvy, mutiny, and dysentery—to chart some of the finest regions for value wines. This week: Hautes-Côtes de Nuits & Côtes de Nuits Villages.
We like to think of Hautes-Côtes de Nuits and Côte de Nuits Villages as Burgundy’s slightly awkward teenagers. Less sophisticated than the region’s fancier appellations, but generally more “grown up” than the average “Bourgogne,” these easily ignored wines aren’t quite sure where they fit in. And we have to admit, it can’t always be easy living in the shadows of Chambolle or Gevrey.
Located in the rustic hillsides just outside the famed borders of the Côtes de Nuits, the Hautes-Côtes appellation encompasses a smattering of nineteen different villages, none of which qualifies to bottle under its own name. Due to the relatively high altitude in which the vines are planted, these eager little Nuits are literally late bloomers, whose grapes often struggle to ripen as fully as some of their peers. Such “growing pains” aside, in strong vintages the wines fill out robustly, and, with prices rarely exceeding thirty bucks, represent one of Burgundy’s great simple pleasures.
Unlike the peripheral Haut-Côtes designation, Côte de Nuits Villages finds its home within the official slope of the Côte De Nuits. An intermediary between regional “Bourgogne” and more refined village-named wines, the appellation applies to vines sourced from five of the area’s admittedly less-exalted communes: Fixin and Brochon in the north, and Comblanchien, Corgoloin and Prissey to the south. Typically a bit more serious than Haut-Côte juice, if slightly pricier, at their best they manage to take on some of the qualities that make the Côte de Nuits terra sacra for all true Pinot fiends.
Although Pinot Noir has a virtual monopoly Côte de Nuits, no account of these wines would be complete without mentioning that it’s definitely worth seeking out the miniscule quantities of white produced in each area, based entirely (as with almost all white Burgundy) upon Chardonnay.
We recently took a handful of bottles for a quick test spin. If you’ve had experience with any of these wines, be sure to let us know your thoughts.
Hautes-Côte De Nuits Blanc 2004, Meo Camuzet
Park Avenue Liquors, $25.00
Dear Reader, we owe you an apology. After tasting this wine from the renowned Meo-Camuzet estate, we instantly bought up every last bottle. Leave it to Meo to produce the one white in the lineup that that flat-out embarrassed its red brethren on their home turf. Located in the Côte de Nuits commune of Flagey-Echezeaux, this single-vineyard bottling is classified as mere Hautes-Côtes, but in the glass it’s classic white Burg at its best: exquisite delicacy, Meursault-like richness, and a mineral core that sent us dancing into the streets. Recent vintages are still available, so please accept our Meo-culpa and keep your eyes peeled!
Côte de Nuits-Villages “Clos de Magny” 2007, Jean Fery
Chambers Street Wines, $28.99
Here’s a bottle sourced from sixty-year-old vines located in a vineyard that dates back to 900 AD. What more could you want from a wine at this level? It perfectly embodies the ethos of this column: undeniable Burgundian character, an irony richness strong enough to cure anemia, and sufficient structure to last a few years in the cellar. By importing this bottle directly from the estate, legendary Tribeca retailer Chambers Street Wines keeps the price enticingly low.
Hautes-Côtes de Nuits 2006, St. Lion
Chelsea Wine Vault, $17.99
For a random négociant bottle whose label looks like something you’d spot on a Costco shelf, this entry surprised us with its unusual balance, boasting simple yet pretty fruit and enough acidity to keep things lively. No major flaws, which is more than some red Burg at this price can say for itself. If we were stranded at a family reunion in Peoria and this was the only pour by the glass, we wouldn’t turn our noses.
Hautes-Côtes de Nuits “Cuvée Prestige” 2006, Jean-Philippe Marchand
67 Wine and Spirits, $23.99
Aromatically complex, with that barnyard “bah-bah blackberry” quality we love in Pinot’s more rustic incarnations. But alas, the wine does show its vintage; the acidity lags on the finish. This is still an excellent effort and a stellar deal at less than $25.
Hautes-Côtes de Nuits “Le Prieureé” 2006, Domaine Aurélien Verdet
Sherry-Lehmann, $26.95
When we were little, our diabetic grandmother always left a scalloped glass bowl of sugar-free candies out on her coffee table. We didn’t like the candies then, nor do we enjoy their taste replicated in this wine today. Even forgiving the warm vintage, this comes across as surprisingly chemical and saccharine, especially for a producer who claims to farm as organically as possible with minimal manipulation in the cellar. Fine for diabetic grannies, but we’ll have to pass.
Côte-de-Nuits Villages 2007, Domaine Sylvie Esmonin
Chambers Street Wines, $27.99
This bottle seems to have been a victim of reduction; the nose was all sulfur and baked fruit and did not diffuse over the first couple hours. On day two the reductive odors blew off, but the wine was still clunky and unbalanced. A disappointing effort from a producer that can make some interesting--but characteristically brawny--wines.
-Zachary Sussman
