Not all good red Burgundy is expensive. Still the pinnacle of Pinot Noir for many, we’ve got a couple of delicious Burgundies for under R1 000 – reds that offer brilliant bang for your buck, rivalling SA wines in terms of value from the heartbreak grape.
You couldn’t get enough of these two wines last year, so we made sure to bring in their new releases in time for summer – when you’re in need of suave, elegant and utterly drinkable reds.
The Joseph Drouhin Côte de Nuits-Villages 2023 offers screaming value at only R765. It opens with a smoky note, lush berries and spice reminiscent of cloves and peppercorn, followed by a smooth palate, cool core and lightly gripping tannins. The grapes hail from five communes in the Côte des Nuits, with vines growing on clay and limestone soils.
Earlier this year, Olivier Leflaive’s Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Cru Fichots was one of the highlights of our Burgundy value tastings and we have no doubt that this vintage will once again have many fans. This Pinot Noir, grown below the Corton Grand Cru site on iron- rich soils over limestone, is wonderfully structured with pure herb-infused red fruit, peppery spice, mineral notes and delicate tannins. It will easily last a decade.
Started in the 1880s and 1980s respectively, both Joseph Drouhin and Olivier Leflaive are known for favouring finesse over power. In these two beautiful, generous vintages, their deft, light touch shines through.
