Few wines oscillate between the incredibly exciting highs and the utterly depressing lows like Burgundy does. Even knowing the vintage, the vineyard, and the producer is no guarantee of enjoyment when it comes to the wine industry’s most addictive crapshoot. Even bottles in the $200+ range can fall short unless you know exactly what you’re purchasing, and few of us have $200 to throw away on a bottle of Chardonnay or Pinot Noir these days. 

Luckily, the team at Mission has screened dozens and dozens of both red and white Burgundies over the last few weeks in preparation of the biggest food day of the year: THANKSGIVING! Nothing pairs better with turkey and stuffing than Burgundian Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, which is why we slimmed down our selection to these top two picks. Dollar for dollar, pound for pound, both of these wines deliver the goods and the typicity of flavor that Burghounds crave. 

Imported by our friend Charles Neal, we think you’ll be very pleased to pour either or both of these wines around your Thanksgiving Day table.

Ragot Givry Vieilles Vignes 2020 $34.99

The village of Givry located in Burgundy’s Côte de Chalonnaise is known primarily for its Pinot Noir, making up 80% of its production. The Ragot family have traced their wine growing history back to 1760 when Gabriel Ragot tended vines in Mercurey. About a century later, Louis Ragot established a property in Givry. There he not only grew grapes, but also a number of different crops, as well as raising livestock. The Vieilles Vignes comes from a tiny 1.25 hectare vineyard of Pinot Noir vines averaging 50 years in age. The wine has notes of black fruits, cassis, blackberry, and raspberry along with some vanilla and spice. A nice match for grilled steaks, pork roast or chicken stew, or hard cheeses like aged gouda or parmesan.

ROBERT PARKER’S WINE ADVOCATE: Nicolas Ragot took the helm at this eight-hectare Givry estate in 2003, modernizing the bottling line and cuverie to work in a more precise, less interventionist manner. Working the soils, harvesting by hand and classical winemaking with destemmed fruit and macerations of some 10-15 days are the rudiments of the approach. The result is supple, flavorful reds and whites that still fly somewhat under the radar and merit consumer attention.

VINOUS: The 2020 Givry Vieilles Vignes has plenty of red berry fruit on the nose, though it just misses a little complexity. The palate is medium-bodied with candied red cherries and strawberry, gentle grip, fleshy and ripe with a touch of brown sugar on the finish.

Domaine Brintet Mercurey Blanc Vieilles Vignes 2021 $42.99

Also located in the Côte de Chalonnaise, Mercurey is renowned for both its reds and its whites, the latter of which are Chardonnays known for their hazelnut and almond notes with just a touch of flint. The Brintet history in Mercurey begins with the arrival of Jéhan Briétat from Italy in 1340, when he gained employment as a page at the Chateau de Montaigu. At the end of the 15th century, the name was transformed to Brintet and 100 years later, the family became owners of some vines in Mercurey. Flash forward several centuries and we find Luc Brintet and his wife Veronique heading their own 11.5-hectare domaine since 1984. The majority of their production is Pinot Noir, although they do make small amounts of excellent Chardonnay. The Vieilles Vignes wine comes from 65-year old vines grown on clay and limestone soils. The nose is full of golden fruits while additional notes of vanilla and spice coat the palate. The wine is approachable at a young age and with its finely tannic finish, will certainly age gracefully.

ROBERT PARKER’S WINE ADVOCATE: The Mercurey Vieilles Vignes from the Domaine Brintet is an excellent example of white Mercurey. It displays an attractive nose of spices and star anise and a mouth filled with spices intermingled with touches of coconut and oak. This silky textured, medium-to-full-bodied wine has a nice long finish and will last for 4-5 years