Wine of the Week

No wine is as versatile with food as red Burgundy, so when it comes to the holiday table, with all its competing flavors, Pinot Noir is the ticket. But it doesn’t necessarily have to be a big one when you can find this marvelous Bourgogne rouge from Robert Groffier, one of Burgundy’s most gifted vignerons , at less than $20 in some places. For a basic Burgundy, this offers surprising heft and complexity. Ripe and supple, it’s good enough to go head-to-head with some other makers’ village-designated wines. Best of all, the 1999 is drinking beautifully now, just in time for the celebratory bird.

If you love Burgundy, but can’t afford it, this is the wine for you. Get it while you can.

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About $20. Available at Wally’s in West Los Angeles, (888) 992-5597; Woodland Hills Wine Co. in Woodland Hills, (800) 678-9463; Hi-Times Wine Cellar in Costa Mesa, (800) 331-3005; and Wine Club in Santa Ana, (800) 966-5432.