A Burgundy I bought back in 2008 and sat on for a few years, forgetting I even had it. Pouring the first glass reminded me of a Malbec, rich and purply.  Not what I was expecting from a Pinot Noir, but let’s see what comes of it.

A nose of bramble, dark plums and an earthy component.  I am intrigued…  The first sip is smooth, with hints of cherry, cola, a touch of acidity and a barely noticeable amount of tannin.  The second sip reveals strawberry/rhubarb crumble and some spicebox.  The mid-palate exhibits a smooth transition for the tannins to come out along with the dark fruits and mushroom (Ps. The label has a picture of a truffle, perhaps hinting at something).  The tingling on my gums is evident after a fews sips.  The wine is still very young and slightly closed.  The finish shows off the Burgundian earth, some cherry and lashings of fine grained tannins.  I hardly ever sense tannic components in Pinot Noir, but this wine most definitely has structure with tannins and acidity that will allow it to develop for another 10 years at the least.  I am going with 92 points on this wine and wished I had another bottle to open in 8 years or so, I bet it goes all funky with secondary flavors of earth, barnyard and everything else that aged Burgundy has to offer the patient amongst us.   I found it online for $72, making this a 4 star effort for the cellar.  Drink 2022-2026.  WS gave it 93 points BTW.  It comes in at a very enjoyable 13% alcohol, which is a major shift from today’s highly extracted monsters that weigh it at 15+%.  Enjoy this one all by itself when it is ready to go, or perhaps with a rustic roast Chicken, maybe even braised beef ribs.  Salut….

I bought this and several other bottles of Burgundy several years ago at a local wine shop.  I have been waiting patiently for this 93 point (WS) wine and figured that now I am on Christmas break- it’s time.  I opened it last night to go with some spectacular Boeuf Bourguignon I whipped up.  Incidentally I used a bottle of Apothic Red  to cook with that wound up in my cellar as a gracious gift…. I digress.

I figured it was time to pop this premier cru wine and was hoping for a monster worthy of it’s $75 price tag.  Here is what I got.

Darker purple shades in the glass than I was expecting.  Somewhat muted nose, I couldn’t quite make out any normal Burgundy or even Pinot hints.  On the initial attack there were crunchy sour cherries with cranberries intermingling.  I had to take note of the very juicy mouthfeel made up of acidity and a touch of heat.  This wine is slightly off balance, perhaps in slumber?  No earthiness or funk, kinda boring where my overall impressions although it did mellow somewhat after some air time.  I have to disagree with the pro’s, this is at best an 88 point wine, and 2 stars for its price point.  Lacking complexity, unbalanced and showing no sign of secondary evolution  make this a major  pass in my book.  Salut….