Elite Value

Part of the reason we added a second email per week was to highlight wines that venture outside the blue chips. For us, putting together an email centered around great value isn’t always easy because we want to find wines that other retailers aren’t featuring, and ones that pass our high standard of approval. Today’s mix is a great way to supercharge your collection or daily drinkers without breaking the bank.

For those who yearn for great Burgundy without the huge price tag, we have you well covered today. We have a great pair from Bruno Clair, whose family’s deep roots in Burgundy over the last century are among the most storied of any. Next, we have a trio from Dominique Lafon and Olivier Merlin, who are helping transform Pouilly-Fuissé into a serious growing area, one that leaves behind the high-volume stigma that was formerly associated with the appellation. We close with a pair of 1er Crus from Pavelot, a producer I was introduced to more than a decade ago. Amazingly, these are only about $10 more per bottle than they were then! That’s unheard of for a region that has seen monumental price increases over the same period.

We close today with a handful from the Loire value, where quite a bit of focus has been given to this great region. Historic producers have helped pave the way for new producers to break through and are yielding tremendous wines with very small price tags. Patrick Baudoin is making vibrant and pure expressions of Chenin Blanc in Anjou, while Arnaud Lambert is shattering all expectations with his wines that should easily be double the price. If you haven’t tried these yet, today is your chance to change that.