I’ve been sitting on a few bottles of Burgundy for years- tonight’s beef dish calls for a Pinot Noir so here goes. Pale garnet in color which is to be expected for an 11-year old wine. The nose is amazing, exactly what I was hoping for. Pronounced aromas of earth, garrigue, dried red cherry, walnut, prune, stewed strawberry, funky barnyard and white pepper. Tertiary aromas galore from prolonged cellaring. The palate shows some fresh fruit but the bulk of the pronounced flavors are of stewed or dried red fruit, nuts, earthy components and funk along with gentle acidity and lithe tannins. The wine is very balanced and light to mid weight. Low alcohol at 13% ABV makes for a crisp mouthfeel and no heat. I like the delicacy of this wine and am grateful that it matured in the manner it has. My patience has been rewarded by this $50 gem that gets 92 points from me. I believe it will last till 2026 and will go well with roasted poultry, beef Burgundy or even Venison. 5 stars. Salut….
I am looking to pair Eye of Round roast which has been cooking in the sous vide for 20 hours. A Napa Cabernet is called for. This wine is opaque and a very pretty purple in the glass. The nose screams Napa sunshine- bright blackberry aromas with black plum, cloves, charred wood, black tea and vanilla. The palate is quite intense with black fruit, oak nuances juicy acidity and medium tannins that carry through to the very end. The blackberry flavors are very prominent in this one, they duke it out on the back end with the tannins to see who lasts the longest. Th oak usage is very deft and well played. I like the balance of this wine and it has a medium to full body. The 14.2% ABV is barely noticeable but I did get a whiff of it on the nose. Still young- this one will cellar nicely till 2030 but if you like a dry, slightly tannic wine then pop-n-pour right away. 92 points from me make this $50 wine a 5 star effort. Salut….
Deep lemon color with a nose of tangerine, lemons, popcorn and acacia. The palate is bright and very citrusy, yet the butter component is missing.I’m confused.Green apple, baked bread and pear are playing second fiddle to lemon and tangerine. It’s evident that Malolactic fermentation has been blocked, keeping the fruit vibrant and fresh. Oak influence is also evident, albeit deft. The wine has medium acidity and is quite full bodied.On the finish I get a nuttiness- like stone fruit seed.Yummy stuff that gets 92 points. This is an iconic wine that merits a try, even though it rolls in at $50. 5 stars from me. Pair with seafood, perhaps even some stuffed, baked mushrooms. Salut….
One of this week’s assignements for my wine course is to discuss and taste a Burgundy. Here goes:
I have selected a 1er Cru wine to taste from the Côte D’Or. Located in Savigny-Lès-Beaune, the Vergelesses vineyard is southeast facing with a gentle slope. The wine is a Pinot Noir that has been vinified with wild yeasts having been hand picked and cultivated without chemicals. It has been aged for 18 months in French oak barrels.
The Pinot Noir grape is notoriously difficult to grow and produce quality wine, it requires a lot of attention and is susceptible to disease and rot. It has a difficult time ripening and needs a cool to moderate climate. Situated in the central part of Burgundy, this vineyard gets the right weather and with the aspect being southeast, it gets the maximum sunshine ensuring full ripeness. The gently slope allows some extra degree of sunshine for the grapes as well as good drainage.
Hand picking the ripe berries makes for a more uniform selection of grapes and raises the overall quality whilst the use of French oak barrels adds complexity, which is compounded by the use of wild yeasts.
Jean Féry & Fils Savigny-Lès-Beaune 1er Cru Les Vergelesses 2010, France 13% ABV
Appearance- Clear, pale garnet with watery legs.
Nose- Pronounced aromas of red cherry, redcurrant, stewed fruit, clove and smoke. Developing.
Palate- Dry, high acidity, medium (-) tannin, medium alcohol, medium (-) body, medium intensity flavors of red cherry, strawberry, redcurrant, smoke, prune. The finish is medium (+).
Conclusion- A very good wine that can be drunk now but has potential for aging.
Ps. This is the second 1er Cru I have opened this week that I think is too young, even at 10+ years. I really like the way this one is developing, the tertiary flavors are starting to come out. I have two more bottles to sit on and watch the evolution over the next 5 years or so.
So, I am going with 92 points and for $50, this is a great deal on semi-aged Burgundy that gets 5 stars from me. Salut….
Wow, this Napa wine is super opaque and dark purple-it looks like Welch’s grape juice. I can smell fruit flavors about a foot away from the glass, it’s wafting over and I think I’m going to like it. Yup, I do. Saturated with blackberry notes, I also get blueberry essence. On the palate it is delicious. Layers of blackberry, blueberry and cassis. Very primal, extracted and yummy. Lithe tannins appear on the mid palate but this wine is really juicy, the acidity really has a grip. Deft use of oak keeps this wine interesting without overplaying tertiary flavors. The finish turns quite dry with the tannins really starting to make themselves known. Overall a nicely balanced wine with good structure, great fruit and decent cellaring capacity. I would drink this blend of Syrah, Malbec, Zin, Merlot etc till 2028 with a big ole T-bone. 92 points from me make this $50 wine a 5 star effort. Salut….
Opaque and dark purple. The nose has a big dose of funk right off the bat- standing water comes to mind. Once past that shocker I get Napa sunshine with ripe blackberry, toasty oak and Ribena. The palate is blueberry and blackberry tart with coconut and creme. The oak influence is appreciated. Mid palate has very lithe tannins and mild acidity. Leather and tobacco appear on the finish with cassis. Really delicious as the wine progressed . 91 points and at $50 per bottle it gets 4 stars. Paired with Spinach rolled Flank Steak and Ceaser salad. Drink till 2023. Salut….
The finale for the 12th virtual wine tasting was a stunner. Dark purple, opaque and very powerful on the nose. Spice box, vanilla, cocoa powder, black cherry and jam were all noted as was, dare I say- plastic and banana. The palate gave us black fruit jam, black tea bursting with beautiful tannins that really coated the mouth. This wine was delicious and I made note that the oak use was very judicious and well played. There was a shot of pepper on the short finish, which took a few points off the table. Still young, it will develop nicely and drink well till 2030. I’m going lower than the pros with 92 points and 5 stars. $50 is not cheap, but this wine has loads of stuffing to it and will get better with time. Salut….
Semi opaque dark red in the glass. On the nose I get cherries, dried herbs, almond and rhubarb. The initial palate shows off sour cherry, more nuts and red currants. Juicy acidity hits me right off the bat. There’s a nice core of tannins that are present but not obtrusive. Red fruits dominate the mid palate and the finish – which is medium length. I like the cut of this wine and think it will drink nicely till 2028. 91 points and 4 stars for this relatively young Sangiovese that goes for $50. Pasta would be a great pairing. Salut….
In the glass this Sangiovese is very dark, opaque and brooding. On the nose it is perfumed with some bold cherry notes, black currants and spicy oak. The palate is delicious folks- ripe black cherry, crispy tannins, juicy acidity and cedar. The mid palate is stunning too with more of that juicy fruit and a shift to some red currants, rhubarb, game and cherry compote. The finish displays a nice balance between the medium grip tannins and the acidity. Judicious use of oak is evident as there is a touch of it on the back end but it is not obtrusive. This is a well made wine that I am thoroughly enjoying whilst making spaghetti and meatballs with garlic bread and Caeser Salad. 93 points for this $50 stunner that will drink well till 2030. I’m going with 5 stars. Salut….
Really dark purple, brooding.On the nose I get violets, plum extract and black currants.On the palate it is juicy, mouth filling and packed with tight grained tannins.Black currant notes, black tea and some oaky vanillastart the wine off.The mid palate gets a dose of the tannins and some sour black cherries.That black tea component reappears with mouth puckering astringency, which is balanced nicely with the fruit and acidity.The finish is very dry with black fruit extraction and charcoal notes.91 points and 4 stars for this $50 wine.Drink till 2030. Salut….
