Finding enjoyable and affordable wines these days is not an easy task, and I have therefore decided to make a new effort to highlight these wines and their alternatives.
We need to do some soul searching … and go back to the core … Why are we drinking these wines? Thirst, lunch, dinner, a joyful moment with friends ? And this sort of gives me the answer.
The Quaffable wines … wines for careless enjoyment and thirst for wine and life !
As I have worked with the Vin d’Emotion rating system, I have seen that I need to focus and optimise the way I look at the Quaffable wines … i.e. to set the focus on both affordable and enjoyable wines we often find in restaurants and wine shops – what I would call the new everyday Burgundies.
This is a fragmented market, and perhaps not a stable market, and some of the qualities we look for are only found in some vintages and not in others.
I have seen that even the very basic wines from the more well-known producers are now becoming very expensive, and moving these out of the range of the regular consumers – like me – who like a good glass of Burgundy for lunch and dinner.
The ever-increasing prices are forcing a shift in demand where new areas, producers and wines are coming into focus. They are often from relatively unknown producers, who produce enjoyable and lively everyday wines, that give us joy at lunch and dinner.
The Quaffables
The rating system has not been geared to find and focus on these everyday Burgundies – simple wines with both good drinkability and balance.
I have therefore decided to split the Tedious category into two: “Quaffable wines” – the enjoyable and drinkable wines, and then the really “Tedious wines“, which are in line with the category name.
Quaffable wines … very drinkable and enjoyable wines – not vin d’émotion quality and complexity, but wines that have a good energy, freshness and an effortless feel. Not wines to travel an extra mile for, to collect … and to be honest, when the prices surpass 50 EUR or more in restaurants, these are no longer relevant. They give you pleasure … here and now … not more and certainly, not less.
The wines are clean, pure and have good balance and energy, and as such, the opoosite of tedious by definition. They do not, however, have great liveliness and complexity and hence, not a true emotional expression. They are simple wines of enjoyment … quaffable wines!
And please note … given the high prices on Burgundy wines, I will also include wines from other areas and countries made from the varieties used in Burgundy …
Tedious wines are, as the name suggests, slightly boring and often lacking a bit of energy, freshness and appeal and lack real emotional qualities.
Why drink these when they give you little emotional pleasure or even simple joy? They are just there … somewhat boring, without true energy and often, with an extracted streak.
The tedious wines are often in the territory of expensively labeled wines … to some a pleasure … and definately have a social function. Its a safe choise that will provide a wine of good quality … and to some this is enough.
- A true vin d’émotion – a Burgundy of passion
- A truly hedonistic wine – lively and enjoyable
- A vivacious wine for pure indulgance
- A potential vin d´émotion - frais et léger