Two of My Best Value Red Burgundies of the Year: Phenomenally Concentrated and Balanced Pinot Noirs from FS Favorite Vincent Ledy

When I first met Vincent Ledy we tasted the bottled 2011s and the barrels of the2012s. The 2012s blew my mind and they are on their way here now. I of course, wanted to sell the 2012s, but Vincent, who made some of the best 11s I tasted, insisted I sell the 11s before the 12s. Which was easy as his 11s are terrific. But now the 11s are no more and we can dip our hands into the cookie box which is the 2012s. Vincent wines, are a lot like Martin Muellen's wines. They are completely uncompromising and despite some of the humble appellations these are chock full of dense, voluminous fruit and intense structure. With low yields and insane attention to detail in the vineyard and the cellar there is nothing like Vincent's wines in Burgundy. It is amazing what he gets out of his terroir.

Up first is the 2012 Hautes Cotes de Nuits for as little as $26.99 on a 4-pack. There is an amazing perfume or darker fruits. Dark blackberry and black cherries. It really wafts and emanates from the glass. The palate has tiny, delicious and concentrated black fruits with some red in there as well. This is ridiculously dense for the appellation. Just an outrageous QPR and things you only find in vintages like 2012. This punches way way above its weight class. There is incredible palate presence and fruit here. What a value and one of the best value 12's I have and will offer. Just terrific.

Up next is the 2012 Chorey Les Beaune "Les Beaumont" for as little as $32.99 a bottle on a 4-pack. I know it's not saying much when one says that Vincent Ledy is making the best Chorey Les Beaune in Burgundy, but it is the truth. Tollot-Beaut may be the most popular but Ledy's soars above that and all the others. This has huge expansive aromas and is immediately more complex than the HCDN upon first sniff. The fruit comes across as even darker and it was pretty dark in the HCDN. There is a serious streak of mint/menthol on the nose as well, that only gains as the wine aerates. This has a beautiful texture and huge amounts of fruit and showing tremendous complexity already. This is a big wine, as is the HCDN, and they require hours of air and can also be cellared both for 10-15 years.

Remember that these both have ZERO new oak as Ledy does not believe in new oak. These are old school as they come but there is a dynamic fruit quality and energy on the palate that gives them a freshness that is not that old school if that makes sense.

Buy as much as you can as who knows when the next 2012 is.

2012 Vincent Ledy Haute Cotes de Nuits - $28.99 ($107.96 4-pack)  2012 Vincent Ledy Chorey Les Beaune "Beaumont" - $34.99  ($131.96 4-pack)