Top Burgundy wines can break the bank. What are more affordable alternatives?
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Superlative Burgundy wines tin can break the bank. What are more affordable alternatives?
Excellent Pinot Noirs from Commonwealth of australia, New Zealand and Deutschland can exist had for half the toll of what you'd pay for pinnacle Burgundies.
Later years of worshipping their mentors in Burgundy, Pinot Noir producers from New World regions like America, Commonwealth of australia and New Zealand have come up of historic period. (Photo: Unsplash/Oscar Nord)
18 Jun 2022 06:30AM (Updated: 18 Jun 2022 07:04AM)
In 2013, Singapore-based wine benefactor Wein & Vin conducted a blind tasting for 50 wine professionals and private customers at Taberna vino bar. It pitted Pinot Noirs from its German vino brand, Weingut Bernhard Huber, against those from big name Burgundy producers Armand Rousseau and Maison Leroy.
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Boon Heng, managing director of Wein & Vin, made sure it was a fair contest, grouping the wines in the same quality tiers: Armand Rousseau's Charmes-Chambertin 2009, a Grand Cru, versus Huber's Schlossberg 2009, a Grosses Gewachs (German for Cracking Growth), both wines of the highest classification in their corresponding regions; and Leroy'due south Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru 2002 versus Huber'southward Alte Reben 2002, both of the second highest tier.
Huber's wines beat the Burgundy elixirs.
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For Heng, the effect was inappreciably surprising. He said the quality of High german Pinot Noirs was already high when he spotted them nigh 10 years ago. "In the concluding five years, the standards of German Pinot Noir take, in general, gone upwards," he added.
It'southward not just the Germans who are giving the Burgundians a run for their money.
After years of worshipping their mentors in Burgundy, Pinot Noir producers from New Globe regions like America, Commonwealth of australia and New Zealand have too come up of age. They are making elegant, expressive wines; a manner long dominated by Burgundy.
Zachary Tay, head sommelier of Clos Pasoh, said the line between Old World and New Earth wine producers – not merely those who make Pinot Noir – has been "blurring exponentially over the years".
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"Ten years ago, this difference was equally obvious as dark and day," said Tay, who has judged at wine competitions such every bit the Decanter Asia Wine Awards. "Yous could say French Pinot Noirs are condign fruiter [because of warmer climates]."
He noted that New Globe regions, on the other paw, take been exposed to warmer climates for a longer period of time than in France. During this time, they have harnessed technological advancements in winemaking to become more well-equipped to produce great wines and emulate the refined way associated with Burgundy, he explained.
Heng said climate change has been advantageous for German language Pinot Noir producers. "Winemakers in Europe tin attest to the fact that they are harvesting earlier than, say, ten years ago," he said. "Germany stands to gain [from climate change] every bit they are a cool climate wine region, compared with Burgundy, which is moderate."
Tay has no qualms recommending Pinot Noirs from outside of Burgundy equally affordable – and even comparable – alternatives to Burgundy to his customers.
"France is a mile away from its competitors when it comes to the quality-toll ratio," said Tay, adding that excellent Pinot Noirs can be found in places like Australia, America, New Zealand, Deutschland and Due south Africa "at a third or even half the toll of what you'd accept to pay for a wine of like quality from Burgundy".
That doesn't hateful you will invariably get a keen wine for cheap. Drinkers who want a top Pinot Noir from outside of Burgundy should even so pay careful attention to price.
"Top quality, unmarried vineyard wines require a lot of manpower, and that is reflected in its selling cost. A Pinot Noir outside of Burgundy in the range of Southward$180 to S$250 in a restaurant or S$120 to S$180 at retail volition get yous a very enjoyable canteen," said Tay. "Comparatively, at these price points, you'll but accept access to [lower tier] regional or village-specific wines from Burgundy."
"A Pinot Noir outside of Burgundy in the range of Due south$180 to S$250 in a eating house or Southward$120 to S$180 at retail will become you lot a very enjoyable bottle. Comparatively, at these price points, you lot'll but accept admission to [lower tier] regional or village-specific wines from Burgundy." – Zachary Tay
Looking to start your Pinot hunt? Here are our picks of seven top Pinot Noirs from outside of Burgundy.
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Burn down COTTAGE PINOT NOIR 2018
The region of Central Otago in New Zealand'south S Island is recognised as the land'southward preeminent place for Pinot Noir. The semi-continental climate conditions – depression rainfall, wide temperature swings between twenty-four hour period and night, hot summers, and dry winters – are platonic for growing the choosy grape diverseness.
Since its inception in 2002, Burn Cottage winery has gained a cult post-obit amid the Central Otago faithful.
The 2022 vintage of the winery's flagship wine has a seductive contour of red fruit, citrusy touches, floral aromas, and silky tannins. It's however a young vintage so y'all may desire to put abroad a few bottles in the cellar.
S$88, from 1855 The Bottle Shop
DALRYMPLE, COTTAGE BLOCK PINOT NOIR 2014
Tasmania is making a proper name for itself as Australia'south all-time source of cool climate wines. Here, Pinot Noir laps upward the temperate climate to produce the vibrant acerbity that is crucial to the flavour profile of the grape variety.
Dalrymple, located in the north-eastern area of the island, is one of the many bazaar wineries driving the reputation of Tasmanian Pinot Noir.
The Cottage Block Pinot Noir is a fine example of the restrained, fragrant way of the island's Pinots. Sit down back and enjoy its flavours of cherries and blueberries interwoven with rustic, earthy accents and velvety tannins.
S$107, from Vintage Fine Wines
FELTON ROAD, CALVERT PINOT NOIR 2019
Walk into whatever top restaurant and you'd spot Felton Road on its wine list. The vino is popular amongst sommeliers – and chefs (Tetsuya Wakuda of Waku Ghin even got the winery to create a special cuvee for his eatery).
One of the pioneers of biodynamic winemaking in Central Otago, Felton Road makes Pinot Noirs that brandish power and elegance. Its Cake 5 Pinot Noir is something of a legend, consistently earning praise from top critics. It's also the winery's nearly expensive bottle, which sells out chop-chop.
The more affordable Calvert Pinot Noir is almost comparable to the Cake 5. The 2022 vintage of the Calvert offers notes of cherries, spices, and milk chocolate wrapped up in silky, refined tannins.
S$117, from Vintage Fine Wines
KOOYONG, Haven PINOT NOIR 2016
The Kooyong manor is located in Mornington Peninsula, some other cool climate region in Commonwealth of australia that has earned a reputation as Pinot Noir central.
Kooyong'south Haven Pinot Noir is known for its lush, fuller mode, so drinkers who prefer a piffling more than oomph in their Pinots may desire to check this one out. The wine's earthy accents of tea leaves and mushrooms too lend it a delicious, savoury edge. We would pair this with a steak or a beef stew.
S$129, from Hermitage Quality Wines
NEWTON JOHNSON Family unit VINEYARDS PINOT NOIR 2019
South African Pinot Noirs, which combine influences from Burgundy and the New World, are something of a little underground. After all, the country'south wine scene, which is concentrated in the Western Cape, has largely spent its marketing dollar on its Bordeaux-style reds and sweetness dessert wines.
Newton Johnson Family Vineyards is located in the Western Greatcoat's Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, a cool climate region known for its Pinot Noir.
The 2022 vintage of the winery'south flagship Pinot Noir is a youthful sip with lots of ageing potential. Its lush mid-palate unveils notes of cherries, night fruit, cinnamon, and soya with grippy tannins.
South$75, from Stellez Vine
WEINGUT BERNHARD HUBER, MALTERDINGER 2018
The late winemaker Bernhard Huber, who passed away in 2014, was often credited for introducing the earth to German Pinot Noirs from the region of Baden. Today, his son, Julian, has taken over the reins, making the kind of elegant wines that defined the ethos of his father.
The Malterdinger, an Ortswein (a mid-tier, hamlet-level wine), is a value-for-money introduction to Bernhard Huber's elixirs. Made from fruit from 25-yr-old vines, the wine offers scents of fresh herbs and cherries, and flavours of cranberries, plums, and walnuts tied together past a taut line of acidity.
S$100, from iwine.sg
WEINGUT MEYER-NAKEL, 'S' SPATBURGUNDER 2018
Weingut Meyer-Nakel is located in Ahr, a very pocket-size wine region in Germany known for Spatburgunder, the High german moniker for Pinot Noir.
In the 1980s, when many High german wineries were producing sweet wines, Meyer-Nakel began focusing on dry wines, particularly Spatburgunder.
With its notes of crimson fruit, nighttime chocolate and crushed stones, the "S" Spatburgunder 2022 reflects the winery'south tradition of making Pinot Noirs that balance a fruit-frontward character with minerally and herbaceous accents.
The wine is categorised as an Erste Lage, the 2d highest tier in the vineyard classification created by the Verband Deutscher Pradikatsweinguter (VDP), an system that promotes German viticulture.
S$140, from Ares Konsultant. Email ares.konsultant [at] outlook.sg ()
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