2014 Red Burgundy

I started getting interested in wine as the 14’s were released. I have really enjoyed their freshness and balance and have ended up with (for a small collector) a good amount of 14 reds (village thru GC). I’ve noticed in the past 6-9 months these haven’t quite shut down, but are showing a bit less exuberantly. I also saw William Kelley remark in his video on 13 reds that the 14’s were showing less “hangtime” (love that descriptor, btw) than the 13’s and 12’s which I agree have started to drink better as of recently. My question is, have others noticed this change in 14 red burgs and if so, do you think they will continue on this trajectory and shut down further? When do you think they might open up with more dimension?

Village level 14s have really been on fire as of late IMO. I really love the vintage, and don’t see them shutting down further. As for 1er & GC, I’m not sure they will shut down more, per se, but patience will be rewarded.

Not sure I agree Jason. The few I have tried lately at the Bourgogne and village level have lost something. That early exuberant (yet balanced) fruit is gone into hiding, and has not yet been replaced by other elements. I trust the wines, but have largely put them aside for now.

I am also bullish on '14s. I also think many have largely shut down. Right before Covid hit, I attended a horizontal of '14 GCs. They were shut down hard. It may be that the villages are still open, but I’m keeping my hands off '14s for a while. I think they will emerge beautifully from their slumber, and I’m hopeful we’ll get there before 2030.

I enjoyed a '14 Chevillon LSG in Spring last year, and it was not shut down at all. A few subsequent reviewers, who tasted it late last year/early this year, noted it was shut down.

Had a 2014 Rossignol-Trapet village wine which was lovely for my taste, but I have no term of comparison to when those wines were released.

Last tried about 2 years ago, when still quite open. No idea about right now but I am not opening.

A d’Angerville Champans (out of magnum!) on Friday was quite open. I thin it’s producer by producer, but some are definitely open.

Anecdotally, Fourrier Aux Echezeaux and Hudelot-Noellat Bas de Combes have both been spectacular and very open recently. A Roulot Monthélie was an aromatic but screaming wall of acid though. I have some more 14 villages/1ers on deck for the next few weeks, will make sure to post notes.

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I had a ‘14 Hubert Lignier MSD 1er Cru VV about 8 months ago, fantastic showing! Wide-open and delicious.

Thanks. I had the 2014 Mugneret-Gibourg Vosne Romanee a few months ago, and it was shut down hard.

Had the same wine last June and it felt pretty shut down, fairly burly and needing time. OTOH a Gouges(!) Vaucrains recently was wide open and great. Groffier Seuvrees was also fairly open but also didn’t taste too burg-ish.

One of the best vintages I ever had young were the 2010s. I still love them at 10, although I am sure some have shut down. Stylistically, the 2014s remind me of the 2010s, although 2010 is a better vintage. I expect that the 2014s will be excellent, although again some will shut down.

As for William’s point about the 2012s and 2013s, I wholeheartedly agree with respect to the 2012s but have not been drinking 2013s so I cannot comment on them. The few 2012s I have had recently have been really good. When they came out, I thought of 2012 as being another 2002, but I now think 2012 could be a better vintage than 2002.

The most recent 2014s I can remember drinking we’re back in Jan: Roumier Cras and Liger Belair Clos du Chateau. The Cras wasn’t shut down but it clearly needed more time to blossom. I was happy I opened it and I enjoyed it but I know more is there. The LB, which in my experience tend to do well young, was fantastic. It has more time on its bones to be sure it was singing.

I agree with Greg that it theres probably a lot of variation producer to producer and terroir to terroir but I do think across the board they are a little more reticent than they were around year ago. I actually had a glass of the 14 Mugneret Gibourg Vosne in February and it knocked my socks off, but a more experienced taster next to me said it showed even better just a couple months before. PCLIN, I was specifically thinking about some 14 H Lignier MSD VV 1er I have, so I’m glad to hear it was killer. Thanks for chiming in! I’ll probably end up holding most of my 14s and drink through younger wines. Still glad to hear any notes on 14 red burgs!

I also want to comment that shutting down does not mean there is a problem with the wine. It means you need to keep it longer. A lot of truly great wines shut down for a time where they are not as good to drink. 2005s have been shut down for a very long time. Great Burgundies should be aged. If you want to drink 6 year old Burgundy, you should buy lesser wines that are more open and don’t live so long.

'14 Bizot Marsannay Clos du Roy, while still approachable, seems to be shutting down, and is definitely less expressive than a year ago. Same for '14 Roumier AC. Pataille Marsannay Clos du Roy and Bourgogne rouge, OTOH, are still quite expressive.

Howard, I agree and I do buy mostly village wines and drink lots of regional wines. Each vintage being idiosyncratic though, I was curious to get peoples opinons on the 14s.

i would second Howard’s comments. I routinely avoid sampling red burgs in the 5-10 year of age time frame (adjusted a little bit for vintage) as this is often the worst time in their development, and gives you the highest chance of being horribly disappointed. There are clearly dramatic exceptions, but as a general rule I think this applies. It’s tougher if you are just starting out and building a cellar, but if you hold off and just drink bourgogne rouge for a few years, you will be rewarded down the line.

There is also something to be said about buying in quantity. Though (especially with burgundy) not every bottle will be transcendent, I like to taste things every few years and follow their development over time – it’s part of the intellectual, cerebral side of the hobby to me.

Following this, I try to purchase at least 4 bottles of most wines, so I can taste it and have perspective on its development while having at least 3 more to stow away.