Best value 2019 red Burgundy en primeur to buy

‘If the 2018 wines were notable for their (albeit stylish) power and mass, the 2019s bring finesse and elegance to the equation without sacrificing concentration’ wrote Charles Curtis in his vintage report for Decanter.com.

He said: ‘The vintage takes its place alongside other exceptional recent years in Burgundy, carving out a niche for its outstanding balance of intense fruit, firm structure and supple texture.

Yields were low, however: 1.2 million hectoliters, compared to an average of 1.5 million – and the 1.8 million harvested in 2018. The reds are generally ripe and forward, with plenty of body and velvety tannic structure.

Full Burgundy 2019 en primeur report

Individual appellation overviews for:

Côte de Beaune, Côte Chalonnaise, Côte de Nuits & Mâconnais

Individual commune overviews for:

Gevrey-Chambertin, Morey-St-Denis, Chambolle-Musigny, Vosne-Romanée & Nuits-St-Georges, Pommard & Volnay, Meursault, Chassagne-Montrachet & Santenay

If you love great Burgundy, you should think about securing some 2019s quickly. Given current pricing trends, they will never be cheaper than they are now.’

Curtis recommended seeking top-quality producers working in relatively cool spots – at the top of the slope, just inside the combe, with a north-facing exposure’ to ‘purchase with confidence’.

‘Although some people might find the reds a bit too fruity or the whites a bit rich, my advice is to relax and savour them: 2019 is a hedonistic vintage and these wines are a joy.’

Value

As well as selecting his top-scoring wines of the vintage, Curtis also highlighted the pockets of value he found while tasting.

Find the run-down and tasting notes for his top 10 value red wines below.

Curtis’ Burgundy 2019 value red wine picks* (tasting notes below)

Domaine Berthaut Gerbet, Les Crais, Fixin – £27/$36

Clos Salomon, Givry 1er Cru – £26/$35

Hubert Lignier, Plan Gilbert, Bourgogne Rouge – £16/$22

Thibault Liger-Belair, La Corvée de Villy, Hautes Côtes de Nuits – £19/$26

Anne Gros, Bourgogne Rouge – £23/$31

Laurent Pataille, Es Chezots, Marsannay – £27/$36

Michel Lafarge, L’Exception, Bourgogne Passetoutgrain – £15/$20

François Lamarche, Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Nuits – £21/$28

Amiot-Servelle, Bourgogne Côte d’Or – £27/$36

Hudelot-Noëllat, Bourgogne Rouge – £18/$24

*The prices are based on in-bond prices of the 2019 vintage or of previous vintages that are currently available in the market.

Charles Curtis MW’s top 10 value red wines from 2019

See also

Chablis 2019: Full vintage report and top-scoring wines