Pale garnet colored, this 13 year old Pinot Noir is starting to show some age. The nose is too. Baked cherry, dried strawberry, caramel, chocolate powder, orange peel, vanilla pod, figs and raisin compote- very layered with primary, secondary and tertiary aromas. The palate is bone dry with medium (+) acidity and low tannins. Flavors of dried and stewed red fruit with caramel and cocoa powder dominate. It’s not as rich or complex as the nose was indicating. Light bodied it carries through to a short finish that is comprised of tart cherry, cranberry and some caramel. I was hoping for more from a 1er Cru Burgundy- 88 points with a drink till 2024 window. It would normally run $50+ and therefore gets 3 stars from me. We are pairing it with roast Turkey and all the accompaniments. Salut….
This Pinot Noir is slightly more extracted than usual showing a medium ruby color in the glass with small, fast moving legs showing off the moderate 13% ABV. The nose gives me telltale rose and funky barnyard aromas typically associated with this varietal. I also get cherry, strawberry, straw and orange peel. The palate is dry, low in tannins, silky smooth and delicious. Juicy acidity hits by way of sour cherry and pomegranate- the strawberry and orange peel having vanished by now. Light to medium bodied this racy wine has got a tart yet delightful finish that is medium (+) in length. Pommard produces some delicious, powerful and rich wines, this regional example is true to the style. At $24 this 91 point wine gets 5 stars from me. Pair it with duck, venison, roast Cornish hens or just by itself! I would drink this wine till 2028. Salut….
Every so often I get thrown a curveball. This Burgundian Pinot Noir was tasted blind at my WSET class. I barely passed the assessment. This 92 point wine was not at all what I tasted- bottle variation? Storage issues? Did the invigilator know this was a $60 Premiere Cru and made his mind up with that knowledge? Who knows. My notes are pretty consistent with the majority of the class. This wine is medium ruby colored with medium (-) intensity aromas of red currant, raspberry, red cherry, pomegranate and red plum. I called it simple. On the palate it is dry with medium acidity, medium (-) tannins, medium body and high alcohol. I got medium (-) intensity flavors of the above descriptors and found the wine to have a short finish. I marked it as being of acceptable quality with a drink now recommendation. In my world this is barely an 85 pointer and for the cash- 1 star. It was a real disappointment to find out it had such pedigree yet did not deliver. I almost want to buy a bottle and have another industry pro blind taste it to confirm my suspicions- but why waste $60? Major pass. Salut…
I was reading an olde book about French wines, written a few years ago and chock full of iconic classics. I stumbled across a Burgundy wine that I recognized so I checked my cellar and sure enough I had a bottle or two of this 2006 Gevrey-Chambertin. My mind was instantly made up- Duck Confit and a glass of this aged Pinot Noir would fit my dinner plans perfectly. I needed help getting the cork out, the Ah-so was a savior…
For a 16 year old Burgundy there is plenty of medium ruby color with virtually no sign of bricking. The nose is exactly what I was hoping for. Stewed cherry, barnyard, garigue, dried herbs and cooked strawberry essence. Very little oak is evident but the tertiary notes are singing. On the palate it is very smooth, tart, dry and still very tannic. Medium (+) intensity flavors of cooked cherry dominate with supporting notes of raspberry, strawberry and rhubarb crumble. The barnyard/garigue and dried herb components are present but the tartness is a bit much. It is medium (-) bodied and has a mid length finish. This is still a young wine with more evolution left, which contradicts the original assumptions that it would peak in 2013. There is plenty of structure and fruit to last until 2028 at the least. Under-scored and under-estimated- this $80 wine gets 92 points from me and 5 stars. Glad I cellared a few bottles, looking forward to more evolution. Salut….
I’m roasting a rustic chicken so Pinot Noir is my choice of red. This Burgundy is pale garnet, showing off its 7 years of age. The nose gives off a decent amount of sour cherry, some mushrooms, a bit of earth, stewed strawberry and pomegranate molasses. The palate is quite tart with sour cherry notes, that earthy funk and a hint of the strawberry. The wine is dry but very light on the tannic structure. They are very well integrated. The mouthfeel shows light to medium body and it finishes with a sour twist that lasts a good long while. I get no evidence of new oak in this wine, nor is there much complexity. It is a basic, everyday wine that fits in nicely with my Coq dinner. I would also pair it with lighter meat dishes, pasta with red sauce or even a stew. 88 points for this $35 effort makes it a 3 star effort to drink by 2028. Salut….
This Burgundian Chardonnay has an interesting color, it’s almost peach-like and quite deep. The nose is quite fruity and floral with lemon, lime, geranium, pineapple and persimmon. A nutty component akin to hazelnuts hits as well. On the palate it is crisp and refreshing. The fruit flavors are more tropical than citrus driven with pineapple and melon dominating. The nuttiness remains albeit nuanced. The acidity is en pointe with this wine, you barely notice it unless you start to wonder about it. The wine is mid-weight and has a long finish with layers of tropical fruit interwoven with some minerality and citrus notes. It begs for a Cobb salad or some steamed shellfish. I am enjoying it chilled and think it will drink well for another few years. 89 points from me for this $30 wine make it a 3 star effort. Salut….
This village level Pinot Noir is 5 years old at this stage with a ruby color that is see-through (pale). On the nose I get a heady dose of strawberry, red cherry, spice box, red currant and pomegranate. There is a woodsy, earthy note that I am digging to go along with a hint of oak. On the palate it is quite tart with red fruit and spice. The tannins are very lithe and the acidity is quite overpowering. The fruit is somewhat subdued by it. The intensity of the flavors are less than ideal and the wine feels a bit out of balance. It is light bodied at best. I am pairing it with that traditional French dish of white beans, Duck Confit and white saucisson. I was hoping for a bit more fruit, less structure and certainly more balance. This wine gets 87 points from me, at $17 it’s a 2 star effort. Drink now. Salut….
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….
As summer comes to a close I am looking forward to some hearty reds yet still have a few chilled whites to taste- here goes as we are having sushi tonight and this Chablis might just fit the bill.
It’s a medium intensity lemon color with a nice citrus nose compounded with pineapple, blossom and wet stone- it’s a steely affair as expected from this region. The palate is crispy with juicy acidity. This Burgundian Chardonnay is a dry wine that has a good body and quite pronounced flavors of lemon, lime, grapefruit and pineapple. The stony, mineral component is most definitely apparent on the mid palate and the wine finishes with good length. I like the floral notes throughout and nearly wince at the acidity- it’s very crisp and tangy. A perfect match for seafood, especially a Mackerel sushi. I am thinking it is a 91 point wine and at a retail price of $65, it’s a rather steep but delicious white to enjoy till 2028. 4 stars from me, 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….
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