If it was on purpose, I totally get it. Either way, don’t worry! There are countless amazing wines available that you don’t have to sleep outside in the freezing Norwegian winter for. And with the selection of wines available at these releases being as disappointing as they are, there’s almost no point in queuing anymore. With a few exceptions. Also, if you have no idea what I’m talking about, you can read about it here.
Anyways, if Burgundy is what you’re looking for then there are a few options that won’t cost you an arm and a leg. It’s expensive, but that’s just the reality these days. My point is that here are some wines that don’t require queuing and won’t break the bank. Wines that are of high quality but for some reason didn’t make the cut for the list of the Burgundslipp.
Since we’re on the topic of wine from France it’s har to skip past Champagne. Also an expensive region, but sadly, again, that’s just reality. I like highlighting some lesser know winemakers, so I’d like to direct your attention to two sisters making Champagne in Epernay. I can’t wait to visit them one day, but until then I am enjoying their wines as often as I can.
You’re probably thinking “Finally!”. I get why some are confused about why Piemontegirl is talking so much about wines outside Piemonte. Which is fair. But you can relax now. We’re back to regularly scheduled programming. And there are quite a few gems to be found in Piemonte.
For years the Burgundslipp has been for the wineloving wine nerds. But the past years it’s gone down a different path. The first time I joined the queue back in 2019, the front runners were genuine wine lovers, with a keen interest in wine, especially wines from Burgundy. I remember sitting around, listening to them talk about things like the different vintages, terroir and producers. I was impressed with their passion and their knowledge, and was thankful to be included in those conversations and happy to be part of the queue.
For those who have no idea what I am talking about, here’s a quick summary: I might have to explain what the Burgundslipp actually is. Which is not an easy task. Because this phenomenon only happens in Norway, and if we’re really being honest, it’s concentrated around Aker Brygge in Oslo. Here are the broad strokes: on a Thursday in early February at 10 am, the doors open at 12 different Vinmonopol in Norway. And inside, there are hundreds (thousands?) of rare wines from Burgundy. But they are not only rare; they are quite cheap, relatively speaking. And so once a year, it’s possible to get your hands on rare, expensive wines for a fraction of the price of anywhere else in the world.
The end of an era?
When I first joined the queue in 2019, I joined the ranks of fellow wine lovers, and enjoyed countless conversations on the topic of Burgundy. Sometimes I even got to talk about Piemonte, but regardless, the topic was wine. We might have even shared a bottle or two. Maybe.
Today, the queue is a whole other story. The previous front runners have been replaced with bottle flippers, who display little to no interest in wine. The ROI is so high that the temptation to spend 4-6 weeks out on the street in Norway in February in order to make a buck or two has changed the Burgundslipp queue. And it’s changed for the worse.
It’s sad that so many of the bottles intended for the Norwegian market leave the country almost instantly. The majority of the DRC bottles that have been released in Norway are probably already scattered across the world. It’s sad that the majority of the people in the queue have little to no interest in wine. It’s sad that it’s become a business operation that prevents wine lovers from getting their hands on wine they otherwise might not be able to afford.
Now, let me get ahead of a few things
I want to be very clear: I’m not saying that no one ever sold any of the wines for profit before. That’s most likely been going on for years. The difference between then and now, is that there was a majority of genuine wine enthusiasts before. And the people at the front of the line also bought wines for themselves, that they would enjoy drinking later. In other words, they sold some of the more expensive bottles in order to fund their wine interest.
I also want to acknowledge that I understand the temptation to turn the Burgundy release into a profitable operation. I mean, it is tempting to be able to earn some (read A LOT) money without really doing anything, except sitting in a tent in the freezing Norwegian winter. If you take away the fact that it’s wine they are flipping, it’s really just another way to make money. I’m just sad that it’s happening to the Burgundslipp.
Burgundslipp 2024 – disappointing
Every year, the list of which wines will be available Thursday morning, is released the Friday before. And just like the previous years, I impatiently refreshed my browser. I was especially eager this year because Merete Bø had already revealed that Domaine Leflaive wouldn’t be on the list for the first time. So I wondered what else might be left off the list this year. And in the end, the selection of wines being released was extremely disappointing.
Where was Liger-Belair? Or Angerville? Michel Lafarge? Maison AS? Cassiopee? Or countless other wines from producers far better than several on the Burgundslipp list. It was almost as disappointing as the Piemonte release. If it keeps going like this, pretty soon the only wines «worth» queuing for will be gone, and then what’s the point? I mean, if you’re not in it only for the money.
Burgundslipp 2025 – even more disappointing
Friday January 31st, 6 days before the release, and the list is uploaded. The people who had been queuing since December 28th (yes, you read that correctly) were happy because as per usual, there were 2 RC and 1 Montrachet. So they were set. But what about everyone else? I do really believe that we are headed towards the end of an era, because the selection of wines were disappointing. Wines that should have been under allocation wasn’t and wine that was allocated shouldn’t even have been on the list in the first place. And once again, a ton of wines were left off the release completely. Like Leflaive.
What next?
I get it. I get why the importer left Leflaive off of the list again. Because when the importer sells directly to private customers through Spesialbestilling, they are able to ensure that the majority ends up in the hands of people who will actually drink it and they are able to spread the allocation across a lager group of people.It’s not a perfect system, and I don’t think we will ever really find a perfect system where everyone is happy. But I do think the importers have the opportunity to make it more fair. And some have already started.
The end?
You’re still here? I am too. Every year I think long and hard about whether this Burgundslipp will be my last. Because I do feel a bit hypocritical participating in this circus. There are so many other good wines available in Norway that, for some reason, don’t make the cut. But there are still a couple of wonderful aspects about the Burgundslipp that I enjoy that I am not quite ready to let go. Like camping outside. Or drinking wine with fellow wine lovers. And getting my hands on a bottle or two that I likely wouldn’t get otherwise. Besides, as one of the very few women who partake in this, it would be shame to weaken that statistic. Can’t let the men have all the fun.
Sunday morning, on the 5th of February, I packed my backpack and headed down to Aker Brygge. And as of 9am that morning, I was officially in the Burgundslipp queue, 73 hours before the doors to Vinmonopolet would open. For those who have no idea what I am talking about, here’s a quick summary: I might have to explain what the Burgundslipp actually is. Which is not an easy task. Because this phenomenon only happens in Norway, and if we’re really being honest, it’s concentrated around Aker Brygge in Oslo. Here are the broad strokes: February 9th, at 10 am, the doors open at Vinmonopolet Aker Brygge. And inside, there are hundreds of rare wines from Burgundy. But they are not only rare; they are quite cheap, relatively speaking. And so once a year, it’s possible to get your hands on rare, expensive wines for a fraction of the price of anywhere else in the world.
But there’s a catch. You have to get in line. They let people into the store, one at a time, in order of appearance in the queue. And although the wines scattered around on the floor might be attainable for person number 57, it’s the wine behind the counter that’s got people lining up days, or even weeks in advance. And yes, it’s February in Norway. And yes, it’s cold. And yes, they live outside, at Aker Brygge, for days or weeks at a time, waiting for those doors to open. And, yes, it’s quite crazy.
Anyway, back to this year’s Burgundlslipp. It’s Sunday February 5th. I sat there, in my camping chair, waiting for the other members of the queue to wake up. It’s not like I was in a hurry to set up my bed and unpack. I literally had 73 hours to kill. But I wondered then, what would this year’s Burgundslipp be like? And who were the other people in the queue? I had already picked up on things being quite different this year. For instance, the first 10 in the queue were not the “regular” queue veterans. And as time went on, I would come to realize just how different this year’s queue would be.
Fight Club
I get a lot of questions about this Burgundslipp business. And some questions are harder to answer than others. One of the main reasons some questions are hard to answer, is because there are a lot of things I don’t know. The queue operates on a sort of unspoken “fight club” rule, as in we don’t talk about fight club. Or, in this case, the ongoings of the queue. So if you’re here to learn all our secrets, you might be disappointed. You might not get the answers to your questions. There are things that will be left unsaid.
Now, you might think that since I am a part of the queue, I would have all the answers. But I do not. It’s mainly because I don’t ask. Although I am pretty sure that if I did ask, my questions would go unanswered. Or they would give me a false answer. I mean, do we really think a member of the queue is planning on making the world’s best sangria with the DRC Romanee-Conti?
“Why spend 4 weeks in the queue if you don’t have the slightest interest in wine?”
That’s a (translated) quote I offered to Dagbladet. And let’s just let that sink in for a minute. Why would a 20 year old spend weeks out on then street, in the dead of Norwegian winter, in order to get their hands on wines from burgundy, when they don’t seem the slightest bit interest in wine at all?
Previous years, the vast majority of the participants of the queue were other likeminded wine lovers, with a great interest for wine. I recall elaborate conversations about vintages, vineyards, winemakers and wines in previous years, conversations from which I learned a great deal. This year, I found myself being the one imparting knowledge. And we’re talking very basic knowledge. In fact, it seemed many of this year’s top 10 didn’t know which grapes were used in the wines they were waiting to buy.
So where do all these bottles end up? I think we can draw a likely conclusion: they buy the wines, and then turn around and sell them. Now, I am not saying that no one in previous years sold any of the bottles. In fact, I am pretty sure many of them sold some of the more “lucrative” wines. (And by lucrative I mean the wines that have the highest ROI when you turn around and sell them.) However, I am also sure they bought a lot of wine for themselves. And I am certain of this because I know some of them. I know they are interested in wine. I have spoken with them, and listened to them talk, about wine. But this year, it seems an overwhelming majority of the participants were in the queue for the sole purpose of making money. And that made me a bit sad.
Like Merete Bø said to NRK, this might be the beginning of the end. If next year’s Burgundslipp is anything like this year’s, it’s likely the whole concept will be shut down. I mean, why release wines in Norway, when they (allegedly) end up in England, China or Singapore anyway? The winemakers ex cellar price is probably the same whether they sell to Norway, England or Singapore. So why not sell directly to those countries? Alternatively, just sell to HORECA. That way you know the bottles will stay in the country, and fellow wine lovers can enjoy these wines at local wine bars and restaurants.
I am very curious to see how things unfold. And if there is a Burgundslipp next year, I hope to see some of my fellow female wine lovers there. Among the first 50 I could count the women on one hand…
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you go to the bathroom? Well, there are quite a few bathrooms to choose from at Aker Brygge. And if you have to go at night, there is a 24 hour bathroom we can use.
Can you leave? Yes, you can. But for how long is regulated by the queue. I personally never strayed far from my spot, and made sure to tell at least one other person in the queue where I was going. I never left Aker Brygge in those 73 hours.
Do the queue participants sell the wines? I refer to my earlier “fight club” comment. I can not with a 100% certainty answer this question. I never asked them, and they never told me. But sure, I have a strong feeling quite a few of this years’ participant sold the wines. In fact, I am pretty sure most of those wines have left the country.
Are you the only woman?
Pretty much. At least among the ones sleeping multiple nights out on the street. A few women arrive Wednesday night, Thursday morning. But I was the only woman who slept 4 nights in the queue.
What wines did I buy? Red and white wines from Burgundy.
It’s finally that time of year again: Burgundslipp! I don’t think anyone could have predicted that a global pandemic would postpone the Burgundslipp for 2 years. And when it’s finally back on again, something unexpected happened.
But before we get into that, I might have to explain what the Burgundslipp is. Which is not an easy task. Because this phenomenon only happens in Norway, and if we’re really being honest, it’s concentrated around Aker Brygge in Oslo. Here are the broad strokes: February 9th, at 10 am, the doors open at Vinmonopolet Aker Brygge. And inside, there are hundreds of rare wines from Burgundy. But they are not only rare; they are quite cheap, relatively speaking. And so once a year, it’s possible to get your hands on rare, expensive wines for a fraction of the price of anywhere else in the world.
But there’s a catch. You have to get in line. They let people into the store, one at a time, in order of appearance in the queue. And although the wines scattered around on the floor might be attainable for person number 57, it’s the wine behind the counter that’s got people lining up days, or even weeks in advance. And yes, it’s February in Norway. And yes, it’s cold. And yes, they live outside, at Aker Brygge, for days or weeks at a time, waiting for those doors to open. And, yes, it’s quite crazy. I’ve answered some questions about this before, like why do it and do they keep or sell the wine. But for now, let’s get back to this year’s curveball!
Plot Twist
January 13th, I get a message: “There are 2 people in line. And apparently they have never been in line before.” If we do some quick math, that’s 27 days before the wines hit the deck. A whopping 9 days more than the previous record for number of days spent in the queue. Thursday January 17th I get a new message: “A 3rd one has appeared.” And just like that, the first 3 spots in the queue are taken. By Sunday January 22nd, there are already 6 people in line. And it doesn’t seem like that any of them have been in the queue before (they are not so talkative, so some deductions have been made). And so the 6 spots that are normally occupied by the regulars, are now taken. This is significant, because of the top wines, there are usually only 3 or 6 bottles available. And so if you end up being number 7, like I was last year, you likely won’t get a hold of the most sought after bottles.
Now, I don’t care that I won’t get my hands on the DRC Romanee-Conti, because let’s be honest, that was never the plan. But I am curious to see what happens the next 16 days.
What number will I be in the queue when I finally get there?
What will happen to the kingdom now that the 6 first guys are different from the usual 6 veterans that occupy the firs spots?
Will there be more women at the 2023 Burgundslipp?
How many will there be by 9:59 am Thursday January 9th?
PIEMONTEGIRL 