I have sat on this one for a while, letting the Burgundian volatility settle and hopefully get some tertiary flavors, a little funk all the while maintaining fruit composition and freshness.

In the glass it is somewhat darker than expected for a Pinot Noir.  On the nose- cherry, funky forest floor, mushrooms and game.  The palate is definitely on track- Garrigue, cherry, balsamic reduction and rooibos tea all come to mind.  The mid palate has an unripe cherry note, or is it sour pomegranate? And dare I say- cork taste (as in chewing on the edge of a dry crumbly cork).  Very peculiar but interesting nonetheless.  The tannins are hitting my lower gums at this point, with a hint of acidity.  The finish is full on cherry, with a pucker from some tea as the tannins are astringent, but nice.  This wine is young.  It will evolve further and the tannins will meld better.  I see some more development with the secondary flavors but hope the unripe cherry component doesn’t remain.  Overall a tasty wine that will do well with the charcoal grilled Strips and mashed potatoes I’m pairing it with.  91 points and 4 stars for this $50 effort.  Drink till 2027.  Salut….

I have been sitting on this for a while, waiting for the right time to re-taste.  Tonight just happened to be it!  I noticed a little bricking when I was pouring the glass, which seems a little premature for a 12 year old Burgundy.  It’s quite opaque considering the varietal though.  Swirling like mad to get something on the nose I finally notice an earthy note, some cherries, but not much else really- I’m intrigued.  The palate is where it’s at folks- strawberry puree, cherry, barnyard, straw and some really edgy tannins.  I have a hard time discerning them in Pinot Noir, but they are most definitely present in this bottle.  I get a grippy dryness to the gums, the mouth is puckering and they meld very well with the acidity.  This wine is not bad!  I just re-read my review of it from 2012, It really did what I expected, and then some!  The funkiness is not as much as I had hoped for but it does exist, somewhat muted.  I am going with 91 points and 4 stars for the $50 bottle.  Drink till 2025 at the least.  Salut….

Merry Christmas!  I have family over for the holidays and we opened this bottle for a Christmas Eve potluck dinner.  I know it is extravagant for this type of Cru Burgundy to be opened with a pasta casserole and spiral baked ham, but it works!

Very pale in the glass with some orange hues of bricking appearing- maybe pre-mature for a Burgundy wine, we shall see.  On the nose a revelation, this wine is young, fresh and full of fruit yet tertiary notes are starting to appear.  Cherry, strawberry and wildflowers dominate with barnyard and a touch of oak also appears.  On the initial attack I’m getting super smooth cherry notes with cinnamon and grille backing it up.    The meatiness is slight but present along with super sleek tannins that are perceptible yet unobtrusive- this wine glides.  The mid palate is a seamless transition from the front with the addition of some barnyard funk- my kinda Burgundy.  The finish is decent in length and gives off leather and some pale berry notes.  This is a very complex wine that is shockingly smooth and very pleasing.  I am hoping it will evolve into a behemoth old school Burgundy in the next few years.  92 points from me which coincides with WS.  Drink now, but sparingly until it fully matures.  4 stars for the $50 price point.  2019-2027 is a good window for maximum effect.  Salut….