What Makes Some Wine So Expensive And Is It Worth It?
Written by Kenneth Crum
Illustration by Soraya Javan
Very subjective questions posed by most people who have ever purchased wine, usually with apprehension. Its answer is so complex and regionally specific, I fear it would take a book to explain it, rather than an article. There are many factors that contribute to the price of a wine; vintage, availability, location and other geeky facts. However, a good place to start when trying to figure out the answer to this question, is to explore the ins and outs of wine classification.
How is it that the average price of Domaine Leflaive Montrachet Grand Cru is almost $20,000, while the average price of the Bourgogne Blanc by the same producer is $100? Certainly not cheap, but comparatively it’s a bargain-basement wine. The quick answer is that the Montrachet is classified as a Grand Cru, meaning it comes from a specific area in the Côte de Beaune, an area in Burgundy, while the other is a Bourgogne Blanc and sourced from various vineyards around Burgundy.
Wine classifications can be tricky. The idea, which dates back to the first documented classification of vineyards in 14th century Jurançon, a region in South West France, is usually to differentiate specific locations that produce exceptional examples of a region's wine. However, there’s always an exception to every rule when dealing with wine. Classifications don't always have to do with location. The most popular example of classification is the 1855 classification of Bordeaux where Napoleon III requested a classification system for France's best Bordeaux wines which were to be on display for visitors from around the world. Brokers from the wine industry ranked the wines according to a château's reputation and trading price. In other words, the more expensive the wine, the higher it was ranked. If you’re thinking that sounds a bit backwards, you’d be right. Although in 1855 the price of a wine was more directly correlated to its quality, wine production has changed a lot since then and there have been very few updates to the original classification.
Still, generally wines that bear these classifications are from a specific region and must follow the rules set by the body of officials that govern wine production in that area. For example, a Chianti Classico must be from a specific location within the Tuscan region of Chianti and aged for at least 12 months if the producers want to use the Chianti Classico name on it’s label.
So should you spend the extra money on that bottle of Premier Cru Burgundy or save your coins and stick with a more fiscally responsible Bourgogne?
Ask anyone who loves Domaine Leflaive’s Montrachet and they’ll tell you that it's worth every dollar….but they’re probably rich, so I'll let you decide whether or not you should trust their opinion. Most of us don’t feel comfortable spending copious amounts of money on wine, just to see if it’s worth it. So how do we know we’re getting bang for our buck?
I did a little investigative journalism of my own to get to the bottom of it. I blind tasted three wine drinkers on wines from two different producers to see if there was a big difference between the entry level bottles and the more expensive labels.
The Wines
For my experiment I picked two Champagnes produced by Egly Ouriet and two Burgundies produced by Marquis D’Angerville. I chose them because they hail from regions that produce some of the most expensive wines in the world. Both wines are made by producers I enjoy, which can make it hard to discern whether or not to splurge on the more expensive labels. Both wines are currently released, so it’s likely that you would see them on the same shelf at your wine shop or on the same wine list.
The Blind Tasters
Sophia is a novice wine drinker with great taste. Sophia drinks purely for pleasure. She loves wine and knows what she likes but is less confident in describing why.
Benny is an intermediate wine enthusiast. He has worked in the restaurant industry for a couple of years and is still learning how to describe wines and navigate regions. He drinks for pleasure but also for education.
Matt is an advanced lover of wine. He is obsessed with learning about wine and possesses substantial knowledge in regions and common winemaking practices. Although he drinks for pleasure, he searches for wines that have complexity and depth.
Round 1: Champagne Showdown
Egly-Ouriet Les Vignes de Bisseuil. Retail price: $112
Egly-Ouriet Champagne Brut Grand Cru Millésime 2012. Retail Price: $315
Both of these champagnes are made in the classic Egly-style; fermented and aged in oak barrels (10-15% new), with no malolactic fermentation. However, the wines are different base vintages with a slightly different grape makeup.
Sophia’s Take
Although Sophia liked both of these champagnes, they were both a bit too acidic for her to have more than a couple of glasses. She would most likely only have these wines with food.
Sophia’s Retail Price Estimate:
Les Vignes de Bisseuil - $90-100
Grand Cru Millésime - $130
Benny’s Take
Benny also liked both of these Champagnes. He liked the high toned, lightening acidity of the Bisseuil but he admitted that he could probably only drink a couple glasses of the wine for that reason. He thought it was clear that the Grand Cru was more aged and expensive. It tasted fruitier to him and had a more round acid structure; he could easily drink a full bottle but would probably only drink either champagne with food.
Benny’s Retail Price Estimate:
Les Vignes de Bisseuil - $90
Grand Cru Millésime - $120
Matt’s Take
Just like Benny and Sophia, Matt liked both of the wines enough. However, he did think the Bisseuil was a bit too linear and one note on the nose. He preferred the Grand Cru because the acid was a bit softer and it was more complex than the Bisseuil. He wouldn’t drink more that a couple glasses of either but he’d drink more of the Grand Cru
Matt’s Retail Price Estimate:
Les Vignes de Bisseuil - $60
Grand Cru Millésime - $100
Round 2: The Burgundies
Marquis D’Angerville Bourgogne Rouge 2019. Retail Price: $57
Marquis D’Angerville Volnay Premier Cru 2019. Retail Price: $111
These wines are basically made the same way. They are both the same grape, Pinot Noir, and are the same vintage. The only difference is that one of the wines is from the Volnay Premier Cru area of Burgundy, and the other is a Bourgogne Rouge.
Sophia’s Take
Sophia loved the berry notes that she got from both wines. Although she could tell that the Volnay was probably the more expensive one, she liked the Bourgogne more because of it’s high-toned fruit and acid. She could drink a full bottle of either but she'd drink the bourgogne everyday, if she could.
Sophia’s Retail Price Estimate:
Marquis D’Angerville Bourgogne Rouge 2019 - $80
Marquis D’Angerville Volnay Premier Cru 2019 - $90
Benny’s Take
Benny thought the Bourgogne had juicy notes of cherry but a lean structure. He thought the Volnay seemed a bit weightier and had darker fruit notes than the Bourgogne: More cassis than cherry. He could tell from the difference in complexity that the Volnay was more expensive than the Bourgogne, but he preferred the latter because the tannins were softer.
Benny’s Retail Price Estimate:
Marquis D’Angerville Bourgogne Rouge 2019 - $90
Marquis D’Angerville Volnay Premier Cru 2019 - $120
Matt’s Take
Matt knew right away that he was drinking Burgundy; he picked up on those bright cherry and sweet spice notes. He didn’t think the Bourgogne was very complex; he said “this wine is all about fruit.” He liked the complexity, minerality and slightly darker fruit of the Volnay. While Matt didn’t think the Bourgogne was complex enough to make him want more than a couple glasses, he could easily drink a bottle of the Volnay. He called it a “true bistro wine;” perfectly complex, yet enjoyable wine.
Matt’s Retail Price Estimate:
Marquis D’Angerville Bourgogne Rouge 2019 - $75
Marquis D’Angerville Volnay Premier Cru 2019 - $100
Kenneth’s Conclusion
As to whether the more expensive bottle’s were ‘worth it,’ that’s something only you can deduce. It’s worth noting that Sophia, Benny and Matt thought the Egly-Ouriet Grand Cru was way less expensive than it actually was, while everyone’s price assessment of the burgundies was a lot closer.
Most good winemakers have a specific house style. For Egly-Ouriet it’s all about the tension and high toned acid, for Marquis D’Angerville is usually about fruit structure and minerality. If you are unfamiliar with a producer, I advise you to get acquainted with them by drinking one of their entry level cru’s. If you’re not into their less expensive wines, chances are you won't love their more expensive wines either. Neither Sophia, Benny or Matt loved the linear acid quality of Egly’s Bisseuil and, although they enjoyed the Grand Cru more, the acid structure is what kept them from loving it. All three tasters loved Marquis D’Angerville’s pristine fruit structure. Benny and Sophia loved it so much, they preferred the Bourgogne to the Volnay because it was more about the fruit than anything. Just because a wine is more expensive, doesn’t mean you will enjoy it more but your chances are better if you’ve had other wines from the producer that you love. Sometimes you just have to take a leap of faith….or you can just stick with what you love!