No-Brainer Back-Vintage Burg Buy
2002 Bize Savigny-les-Beaune
Aux Grands Liards
The Only Bottles Available in the World
"I am unreservedly enthusiastic about the quality of the Bize '02s. These are wines to lay in by case..." - Burghound
Today, we set the tone for the new year with a back-vintage gem from a winemaker who is very close to our heart.
Year after year, for the money, for the quality, for the authenticity and soulfulness of the winemaking, there is no one better in Burgundy.
That's why we've had a Simon Bize "Wine of the Year;" that's why these wines sell out so quickly, almost regardless of vintage.
That said, 2002 happens to be an extra-special case for the estate. This was a beautiful vintage, handled deftly by Patrick, whom Clive Coates calls "one of Burgundy’s most sensitive and perfectionist wine-makers." Today's offer makes a powerful argument for the substantial aging potential of Savigny made in great hands.
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| Patrick Bize |
At 10 years of age, this village-level Savigny is at peak expression. This village tends to show off a slightly meatier and more darkly earthy profile, yet Bize always manages this with great refinement. (This makes a little extra sense when you consider that Patrick Bize, who’s been running the show here since 88, was mentored and tutored by the likes of Aubert de Villaine, Henri Jayer and Jacques Seysses.) In the 02 Liards, the secondary notes have softened and become more subtly nuanced, finely intertwined with vibrant notes of brambly raspberries and dried cherries. The Grands Liards in particular shows, as the Burghound notes, "supple, finely textured and structured flavors" along with "a very long finish."
The 2002 vintage has certainly helped the longevity factor here - it was a gorgeous year, the wines showing off ripe yet understated fruit and a lovely supporting acidity. While 02 lacked the density and raw power to sit among the real "greats," the best producers came away with wines that seem to combine much of the ripeness of 99 with a sense of the freshness of 96.
As is the case in all of Bize's wines, I find such a purity and such an honesty here. Savigny doesn't have the raw power of Gevrey or the silky caress of Chambolle, nor the seductive perfume and texture of Vosne. And yet… there’s something REAL, something irresistible about them. They’re classic. Honest. Beautifully concentrated, dark and juicy yet fresh and lithe. Oh, and wildly underpriced. Savigny to me is like "the little village that could," and Bize’s wines represent the pinnacle of the commune.
It's that simple.
The value here is, I hope, obvious. This parcel is small, these are the only bottles of this available in the world - I'd expect this to sell out well before the end of the day.
All orders are subject to confirmation; to order, please click below, email us at offers@crushwineco.com or call the store at (212) 980-9463.
Ian McFadden
Director, Fine & Rare Wine
Crush Wine & Spirits