As I write this, I am just back from two weeks in Burgundy. It was a good trip, where I had the chance to taste hundreds of 2004 Burgundies, both white and red.
The 2004 White Burgundies are less variable and easier to evaluate. They are charming wines, with a clear sense of place. Perhaps not the perfect vintage for aging for more than a decade, but that long a time frame is hardly a problem for most whites (or for most of us). The vintage has a sense of sweetness on the palate, even for those wines with no hint of residual sugar, which makes them delightful.
2004 Red Burgundies are more variable, and the skill of the winegrower and careful cellar work are critical. I tasted some wonderful wines in Volnay, as well as Chambolle, so there is no generalization about Cote de Beaune versus Cote de Nuits that I can see. However, this is a vintage to talk to your wine merchant about how individual producers fared, and pick your wines well. If you do, there are some wonderful things to be found, and you will be delighted to have them in your cellar. Á Santé. —Keith Wollenberg