Finding QPR Burgundy in Chorey-lès-Beaune

The prices of Côte d'Or wines seem to be constantly creeping up these days, even for village-level wines, and Burgundy often does not seem to offer a good value proposition, or, as we often say in the wine world, a good quality-to-price ratio (QPR).

Chorey-lès-Beaune

Chorey-lès-Beaune is one of the three Burgundy villages with "Beaune" in their names, the "lès" part denoting proximity to the big village, Beaune, and it is one of the Côte d'Or villages that often flies under the radar and therefore is a village where wine lovers can find good quality wines at accessible prices with the right producer and site.

Chorey is currently one of two Côte d'Or villages with no premier cru or grand cru sites, the other one being Saint-Romain, and the lack of premier crus and grand crus is one of the reasons why many people tend to overlook it.

Most of the more highly regarded sites in the Côte d'Or are located to the west of the major highway, the D974, with the part closest to or east of the highway being the flattest, fertile and/or the most easily waterlogged sites after rainfall, and as a result, those sites are generally considered less suitable for high quality viticulture and are generally considered wines for early drinking rather than long-term ageing.

Part of the reason why Chorey tends to have a less favorable reputation than other Côte d'Or villages is that most of its sites lie east of the D974, with only two sites lying west - Les Ratosses and Les Beaumonts - which are considered the best quality sites in Chorey.

Because of these factors, Chorey wines tend to be often overlooked and, as a result, priced much lower than many Côte d'Or wines.

Domaine Pavelot

Domaine Pavelot has been making highly regarded wines in Savigny-lès-Beaune for generations, with Jean-Marc Pavelot, the father, and Hughes Pavelot, the son, as the current owners.

I picked up this Hughes Pavelot Chorey-lès-Beaune Les Beaumonts 2021 for $35 USD, and it punched way up above its weight compared to some more expensive Burgundies I've had recently!

Unmistakeably Burgundian Pinot Noir with good concentration, balanced acidity and freshness and a touch of savory earthiness, it hit the spot on a rainy Friday night in New York while we were eating takeout burgers and watching trash reality TV.

This Chorey delivering at a fantastically accessible price was just another reminder that producer and location matter in Burgundy!

Have you tried Chorey wines? What are your thoughts?