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.
Burgund Slipp takes place in February every year. Around the end of January, a small community pops up outside Vinmonopolet at Aker Brygge. I call it a community because acommunity is a social unit (a group of living things) with commonality such as norms, religion, values, customs, or identity. Which pretty much sums it up. And as far as communities go, I am very happy to be part of this one.
In Norway we have one store that sells wine across the country. A monopoly. And every year in February, Vinmonopolet releases the newest vintage of Burgundy wines (you can see the list here). They do it that way in order to make it as fair as possible for the most people. These wines are so rare and hard to get a hold of, which leads some people to sleep on the streets in order to be the first one in line.
Why do you do it?
Why not? I get to spend some quality time with other wine nerds who share my passion, and at the same time get some free PR. Seems like a no brainer to me.
The world is full of people who do all sorts of things. I understand that it probably seems strange to sleep on the street in order to buy some bottles of wine, but is it any stranger than sleeping outside a theater to buy tickets for Harry Potter? Or spending millions on cars that mainly sit in a garage?
What number were you in the Burgund Slipp queue?
I was number 7 this year! Last year I was number 16.
Do they keep the wine or sell it for profit?
I get this question a lot. And my answer will forever be the same: “It’s not something you ask. So I don’t know. And I personally don’t care.”
What my queue neighbors do with the wine they buy is really none of anyones business. I suspect some of them sell the wine, and financially it makes total sense. The ROI is quite high. So why the hell not?
What I want you to know is that my queue neighbors are decent people who have a genuine interest in wine.
Aren’t you scared, being the only woman?
No. Absolutely not. The men in the Burgund Slipp queue take such good care of me. Last year, I was welcomed into the community with open arms. They made sure I knew where the bahtrooms were, invited me to join them in the tent, included me in their dinners, and generally just made me feel very comfortable.
Another thing I’d like to add is that Aker Brygge is private property, so there are guards patrolling 24/7.
What do you do all day? Don’t you get bored?
You wouldn’t believe how fast the days fly by. Between meals, trips into the wine store & conversations with curious strangers the hours go by quite quickly.
Not to mention the wine discussions amongst the queue members. Some of these guys really know their wine, especially burgundian wines, and the discussions are very interesting and educational. I’ts honestly wine nerd heaven, talking about vintages and terroir, winemakers and winemaking styles. It might be my favorite part of the queue life.
Will you be in the Burgund Slipp queue in 2021?
I hope so! Maybe there will be some more women next year as well!
Good news for those who show up at 8:50 on Thursday. Aker Brygge is enforcing a new rule: maximum 12 quoted wines per customer. I’m guessing the people who have slept outside for the past 2 weeks are less than happy….
Is it fair to change the rules meere days before the release?
Last year, there was no maximum number of wines per customer, so as long as you adhered to the quota per wine, you could buy as much wine as you want. So it would be beneficial to sleep outside for days on end.
Any change is difficult. This change might piss a lot of people off. And make a lot of other people happy. Are they trying to make these rare wines available to more people? Or are they trying to get rid of the people sleeping outside for weeks at a time? Maybe those who spent 3 weeks vacation would have prioritized differently. I am excited to hear what Vinmonopolet has to say about it…
After spending a few days in Burgundy this summer, and a few days some years ago, I’ve put together a few tips and suggestions for anyone who is thinking about visiting this beautiful wine region.
Where to Stay
I always stay in Beaune. A relatively big town, compared to the other small ones like Volnay or Mersault, it has everything you’ll need, along with some pretty great restaurants. Many Airbnb’s are scattered over the city, as well as many different hotels. Depends on your price range and wishes, of course, but you’ll most likely find a place that suits your needs.
A place I can highly recommend is Beaune Duplex Maison du Bastion 4, found on Airbnb. Beautiful garden, nice rooms, kitchen and parking. There are also multiple apartments, so larger groups can fit nicely here.
Where to Eat
Here are some of my go-to places for lunch and dinner:
Now, Burgundy is busting with wineries. Of all sizes, shapes and forms. We all have different tastes and preferences, and mine might vary drastically from yours. But here are some of my favorite winemakers in the area.
One thing I recommend everyone to do, is to just explore. These small towns are filled with beautiful streets, buildings and “landmarks”. You can take a stroll down “Rue de La Tache”, or walk to the famous Romanee-Conti vineyard or take the “obligatory” picture with the cross. So much history and so many great wines. It’s paradise for us wine lovers. And I can’t wait to go back!
In the wine industry, it’s very common to work with your family. You pass the winery onto your children, your children pass it onto their children. And so it goes for generations. But what happens if your son or daughter don’t want to make wine? What happens if you don’t have any children? What happens if you disagree? Or, worst case; what happens if you don’t get along?
Winemakers are people, just like you and me. Do we always get along with our family? Do we always follow in the footsteps of our parents? No. My whole family works in one industry, and I chose another. But is it easy to chose a different path when you’re raised in the family business? I know that some of the Oddero family members became doctors instead of winemakers. Nicola at Trediberri studied business before he became a winemaker. Something that often happens, is a winery “splitting up”. Example: one sibling continues with the same winery while the other sibling starts up a new one. In La Morra you have Revello Fratelli and Carlo Revello & Figli, where the two sons decided to split up and do their own thing. Now, “splitting up” doesn’t have to be the cause of a fight or argument. Sometimes it’s just the right thing to do. Maybe they have different visions or strategies. Maybe they both have multiple kids who want to continue the tradition, and it makes sense to divide and conquer.
Complicated Also For Wine Lovers
I am not saying that this is as bad for us wine lovers as it is for the families involved, because it is not, but that is not to say that this phenomenon does not influence the lives of someone who just loves to enjoy wine. I mean, have you ever thought about how many wineries have the same or similar names?! How many Boillots are there in Burgundy? Moreys? Colins? Or to make matters worse, someone decides to call their son Colin-Morey. It’s not weird that you sometimes feel confused when buying wine. Which one was the Colin you wanted? Pierre Yves Colin Morey or Marc Colin? Or a completely different Colin. The strangest part is that some of them are actually related, while others just have the same last name. Which just makes it harder for us consumers to navigate the vast world of wine.
Did I Say Complicated?
For long, this was a burgundian “problem”. In Piemonte, for example, the next generation just kept the name of their fathers. But now with changes at the Fontana, Revello, Vietti, and Veglio wineres amongst others, one really needs to pay attention to be on top of which wine is which, and who makes what. Take this example from La Morra: A few years ago, news broke that Andrea Oberto’s son left the winery. But not only did he stop working with his father, he started his own winery, mere feet from his father. What will happen to Andrea Oberto now? Will his daughter (who I believe does some office work for the winery) step in and fill the shoes of her brother? Will Andrea have to pass his legacy onto someone outside the family?
A consequence of Fabio Oberto starting up his own company, La Collina di Dioniso, is that the wines of Andrea Oberto are no longer available in Norway. But you can find Andrea’s wines in La Morra, Piemonte, at the local restaurants and the local wine store. Interestingly enough, you can’t find Fabio’s wines there. What do you think that means?
And what does it mean for the consumer? For the producer? For the importer? This is so complicated I don’t even want to try to analyze. But just think about it next time you find Fabio Oberto’s wines instead of Andrea Oberto’s. So much is happening behind the scenes – at the wine store, at the importers office and in the homes of these wine families.
Andrea Oberto & his wife
Happily Ever After
What does a happily ever after look like at a winery in Piemonte? My answer would be: Happiness is in the eye of the beholder. I mean, who are we really to have an opinion on whether a winery stays in the family, if they split up or stay together, or even sell? Most of us have no clue what is going on in each of these families, and it’s up to them to find out what suits them the best.
Prices in Burgundy are soaring, but there are still some very good producers flying under the radar, with prices relatively low. One of these producers is Joseph Voillot.
A stonethrow away from another great producer, Michel Lafarge, you’ll find the Voillot family. At the moment it is Etienne and his uncle who run things. Don’t ask me about the family intricacies of families in Bourgogne. It’s too complicated. But the bottom line is that the Voillot winery is a family winery.
2017 – a normal vintage
The new vintage released is the 2017. 2017 was a normal year, no frost damage, no hail damage – so what they would call a normal year. There was some frost and hail, but not out of the ordinary and not as damaging as 2016. To combat the frost 2017 they used smoke, as you’ve probably seen in the pictures.
Joseph Voillot makes about 12 different wine, we tried 10 of the. Pardon my spelling, I did my best: Bourgogne Aligoté Mersault Les Chevaliers Mersault Les Cras Bourgogne Vielles Vigne Pommard Vielles VIgne Beaune aux Coucherias Volnay Les Fremiets Volnay Les Champans Pommard Les Pezerolles Pommard Les Rugiens
My Voillot Favorites
In all honesty, all the wines were good. Voillot makes wines with incredible passion, hard work and meticulous attention to detail. For them, the most important part of winemaking is the fruit. They destem the grapes, instead of using whole cluster, because they believe it takes away from the fruit. They work diligently in the vineyard to make sure that when the harvest comes along, the fruit is perfect.
Among the 10 wines we tasted, my favorites were the Bourgogne Vielles Vigne 2017, Beaune aux Coucheries 2017 and the Volnay Les Fremiets 2017. Out of all the wines, these (for me) were the most elegant and very easy to drink. I think in a few years, (5-10) the Volnay Les Champans will be incredible! So many good options to chose from!
Would you spend 16 days outside a wine store to get your hands on a 2015 DRC?
Bjørn Håvard is currently camped outside Vinmonopolet at Aker Brygge, waiting patiently for the Burgundy release February 7th and the DRC 2015. But this is not the first time Bjørn Håvard is sleeping outside to get his hands on rare and exceptional wines. His first stunt was in 2007, and has become a regular event in the following years. But this year he is taking it to a whole other level. 16 long days outside, breaking the record from last time, which was only 8 days.
In Norway, the wine is regulated with the monopoly, aka Vinmonopolet. So when rare and exceptional wines are available and released, they do so in a special way. Throughout the year they have “releases”. So one release for burgundy, one for riesling, etc. And because the number of wines released is so small, there is a queue system. In order to get your hands on one of these wines you need to be one of the first in line. This is why Bjørn Håvard is sleeping outside, to ensure acquisition of the rarities released from Burgundy this year. Another fun fact is that Norway is the cheapest place to buy these wines. So it might be worth checking into… if you’re not already camped outside.
DRC 2015
This year, the burgundy release is quite special. 2016 Bourgogne produced very little quantity of wine, but the quality is outstanding. And 2015 was a great vintage in Bourgogne, and although most other producers released their 2015 wines last year, DRC did not. So on the menu this year is Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2015 and all the Bourgogne 2016. What would you do to get your hands on one of those? Sleep outside 16 days in Oslo during winter?
Dedication, patience and guts
Imagine you’re spending 16 days outside. In Norway. In January. It is not for the faint of heart. And as you can see, a lot of equipment is required to make it all the way to the finish line. Apart from warm clothes, you also need sleep gear, like cots and sleeping bags.
Brotherhood – a special bond
One of the most fascinating aspects of this phenomenon is the brotherhood between the participants. There is a mutual respect and understanding between them, which is helpful when one of them needs to use the restroom or get something to eat.
Be on the lookout – you might find me in line soon…
Christmas was celebrated in Cantina Granveien, as it has been for the past 5 years. We have many traditions, including the yearly santa hat photo as seen above. For us Christmas is centered around food and wine with several wine paired meals. The day before Christmas Eve (Lillejulaften) seafood and white wine is on the menu. This year it was 2002 themed with Comtes Laffo and Bonneau du Martray. Very interesting stuff.
PIEMONTEGIRL 