When Is Burgundy “Ready to Give”? Reading the Room on Roumier, Echezeaux, and Fourrier
The question isn’t whether great Burgundy matures—it’s when it finally loosens the tie and starts telling stories. Steen Öhman over at Winehog takes aim at this patience game, especially with Roumier, and it’s the kind of perspective collectors need more than another hot take on allocation drama.
Why This Matters
Behind every great bottle is a story, and this one matters. It reflects broader trends shaping how wine is made, sold, and enjoyed. Stay curious—your palate will thank you.
“Roumier wines need time … a lot of time actually.”
“Roumier wines need time … a lot of time actually.
—Steen Öhman, Winehog
That line lands because it’s honest. On the West Coast, we know a thing or two about waiting—swell, fog burn-off, and yes, Pinot Noir. But Burgundy time is a different clock. Öhman’s piece reframes the drinking window conversation around a simple, useful target: not fully mature, but “ready to give.”
Key Takeaways
- Key themes: Burgundy, Pinot Noir, Roumier—stay informed on these evolving trends.
- The takeaway? Keep exploring, keep tasting, and don’t be afraid to try something new.
Style Snapshot: Burgundy Pinot Noir, Dry and Patient
- Grape variety: Pinot Noir
- Region/appellations: Burgundy (focus on Chambolle-Musigny, Bonnes Mares Grand Cru, Echezeaux Grand Cru, Gevrey-Chambertin)
- Style: Dry, medium body, high acidity, fine-grained tannin; fragrance over power
- Drinking dynamics: Long arcs; some producers open earlier, others demand decades
- Decanting: Useful for young and mid-mature bottles; 30–90 minutes can coax “ready to give” aromatics
What Öhman observes dovetails with common wisdom: Chambolle elegance, Bonnes Mares structure, Echezeaux seduction, Gevrey tension. But he challenges the calendar. Many Roumier bottlings—especially Bonnes Mares—still feel firmly buttoned-up, even from vintages you’d expect to be easing open. He notes that warmer seasons and tweaks in vinification may nudge accessibility a tad earlier, but don’t mistake “approachable” for “peaking.”
Context: Readiness vs. Maturity (And Why It Matters)
Here’s the most practical shift in his piece: aim for “ready to give,” not “fully mature.” In markets where the oldest wine on a list might be 2013, waiting for textbook maturity can feel like waiting for a windless day in October—possible, not probable.
Öhman points to specific examples to define that readiness line. Chambolle-Musigny villages 2013 from Roumier? With an hour of air, it starts to show some complexity, but calling it ready may be “optimistic.” Meanwhile, Bonnes Mares 2002? He’s comfortable with “almost ready to give.” On the flip side, Echezeaux 2010 from Comte Liger-Belair gets the green light as “ready to give,” and several 2013 1er crus from Domaine Fourrier in Gevrey are, in his words, fully pleasing.
“Have not drunk any Roumier that was ready to give!”
—Dr. Chua Yang, via Winehog
That quip hits home because Roumier’s signature—purity, precision, composure—often translates to long runway. Chambolle finesse isn’t shy; it’s just patient. Bonnes Mares’ muscle, especially post-1996 according to Öhman, will ask you to cool your jets even longer.
How to Buy and Pour with Intent
If you collect Roumier, accept the slow-bloom archetype. Cellar with a decade-plus horizon. If you’re drinking in the next five years, think producer and site: Fourrier’s 2013 1ers from Gevrey are cited as already giving pleasure; Liger-Belair’s 2010 Echezeaux is in a sweet, expressive place. If Roumier is on the table, decant and recalibrate expectations—you’re chasing resonance, not climax.
For the curious, Pinot Noir from these appellations is dry, midweight, and acid-driven. When a bottle is “ready to give,” you get lifted red fruit, floral tones, sous bois, and spice—less a parade of bass notes, more a perfectly tuned midrange. Maturity layers on tertiary detail, but “ready” is where conversation begins.
Best occasion: a focused dinner with people who’ll let the wine evolve in the glass. Best pairing direction: keep it savory and gentle—roast chicken, seared duck breast, mushroom pastas. Salt and umami are your friends; heavy sweetness or lots of char, not so much.
Takeaway: Chase Expression, Not Perfection
Öhman’s lens is refreshingly practical in a market that too often fetishizes birth years and provenance over what’s in the glass tonight. Look for producers and sites showing early harmony if you’re drinking now; buy Roumier for the long game. And when you do pull a cork, leave room for air and patience. The goal isn’t to nail “fully mature”—it’s to meet the wine when it’s ready to give.
As Öhman reminds us, sometimes the most honest answer is also the simplest: not yet. In Burgundy, restraint is a feature, not a flaw.
Source: https://winehog.org/burgundy-reflections-ready-to-give-72431/
