2018 Domaine Deliance Givry 1er cru Clos Charle

Happy Wine Wednesday!  It's certainly been a while since I've posted on a Wednesday, so hopefully this is a good one.  Tonight I've opened up a bottle of Burgundy that I recently purchased from Wines Till Sold Out.  The 2018 Domaine Deliance Givry 1er cru Clos Charle is a pinot noir from the chalky limestone soils and cool climate of Givry.  I admit I've been on a bit of a pinot noir kick lately, so let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a beautiful garnet color in the glass, with great clarity, as you might expect from the varietal.  A gentle swirl in the glass releases ample aromas of strawberry, sweet cherry and earthy peat with just the faintest hints of the classic Burgundy tar.  Take a sip and you're treated to a rush of ripe berry fruit that eases gently to some earthy mineral notes of dusty limestone and smoke midpalate.  The tannins are at first gripping, but then they soften to support the dry, supple finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a lovely Burgundy at a value price of just $27.  This wine would also pair well with some more challenging fare, from duck, to pork, Indian cuisine to chili.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a sesame grilled pork tenderloin along with oven roasted sweet potatoes and asparagus with Hollandaise.  Cheers! 

2007 Louis Boillot Volnay 1er Cru Clos de la Chapelle

Happy April Fools Day!  No, I'm not joking on this post, but at least it's the first Saturday of the month, which means it's Cellar Saturday!  That fun day when I open a bottle that's at least a decade old that's been waiting to be tried.  Today was a day of spreading mulch around the yard, so full of earthy aromas, which means it's probably appropriate to enjoy a nice earthy pinot noir from Burgundy tonight!  And for this Cellar Saturday, I've opened a bottle of 2007 Louis Boillot Volnay 1er Cru from Clos de la Chapelle, one of the 30 premier crus from Volnay.  I believe I may have received this wine as a gift from my boss, so let's see how it tastes!

The wine is very light in color, almost appearing like a rose.  The nose is a lovely combination of bright red berries, floral notes and a heaping helping of earthy goodness.  The taste is interesting, as you have a good bit of ripe red fruit, raspberry, cherry, mulberry, that has a nice balance of acidity, before you transition to some wonderful earthy mineral notes.  The finish is quite dry but very elegant, with a reprise of mild acidity from the very well integrated tannins.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, it's a very nice Burgundy, but unfortunately I'm not the biggest fan of pinot noir.  This wine would be fantastic with lamb, mushroom risotto or about any hearty, earthy dish.  Tonight I am enjoying this with some classic comfort food, stuffed cabbage!  I used to love my mom's stuffed cabbage, but I put on a little twist simmering it with some arrabiata sauce and top with a bit of shaved parmesan.  Cheers!

2013 Domaine J. Meuret Les Chenes Pinot Noir

Happy Saturday!  I am simply exhausted!  I started the day running errands, then I planted all of my impatiens in the only flower bed I have that is devoted to annuals and mow that my back is killing me, I've decided to open a bottle of wine with dinner.  Thankfully, I received my wine club shipment from Maison Bleue on Friday, and included in the shipment were a couple bottles of 2013 Domaine J. Meuret Le Chenes Pinot Noir from the Phelps Creek Vineyard in Oregon.  The name "Lew Chenes" means "the Oaks" in French, which I can certainly relate to given the many oaks in my yard, but it was actually named for the many white oaks in the vineyard which was planted in 1990.  So let's see how this wine stacks up!

The wine is a lovely pale red color in the glass, a classic Pinot Noir.  The nose presents aromas of cherry, cassis, tobacco and cedar, certainly not your typical Oregon Pinot, but much more reminiscent of a great burgundy.  The taste is simply wonderful, with some lovely red fruit notes up front, cherry, red plum, earthy mineral notes and wonderful spice.  The tannins are very well structured and integrated, creating a long. seductive and dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, and you know I'm not a huge Pinot Noir fan!  This wine would be perfect with roast pork tenderloin, classic salmon or duck, but tonight I am enjoying this wine with a bacon wrapped Angus filet mignon, with grilled asparagus and a baked potato, and I must admit this wine was a perfect accompaniment!  Cheers!

2010 Aegerter Pommard Premier Cru

So today I've been cleaning and then I went to the local community theater for a play, so now I'm ready to relax!  And what better way to relax than with a glass of wine?  Tonight I've decided to open another bottle of wine that my Aunt and Uncle brought back for me from their trip to France last year, the 2010 Jean-Luc et Paul Aegerter Pommard Premier Cru.  Now for those unfamiliar, Pommard is somewhat similar to Nuits Saint-Georges in that it's a Burgundy wine that is primarily based on Pinot Noir, but in many cases it can be somewhat more tannic.  The result is a lighter pinot based wine that has a nice backbone.

The color on this wine is a bright ruby with great opacity as you might expect from a pinot noir.  The nose has some great fruit, strawberry, plum and cassis overlaying some lovely green grass and cedar notes.  The taste is quite nice, with a burst of fruit that quickly subsides as we transition to some lovely flavors of fresh herbs, balsamic and forest floor.  The tannins are tightly wound, creating a sharp but pleasing finish that makes this wine perfect for sipping on the patio.

Overall I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's the type of Pinot Noir based wine that has a bit more structure than many of the lighter style pinots you see in the market today.  Tonight I am pairing this wine with some pan seared sashimi tuna garnished with some fried leeks along with some mushroom risotto and steamed cauliflower.  The lighter style of this wine would be just perfect with seafood of almost any sort!  Bon Appetit!

2010 Lupe-Cholet Nuits-Saint-Georges

Well in honor of the latest episode of the polar vortex, I've decided to open a bottle of wine that my aunt and uncle sent me for Christmas. They spend a wonderful vacation in the French countryside last summer and they brought back some great wines, the first one I've opened was the 2010 Lupe-Cholet Nuits-Saint-Georges, a lovely Pinot noir based wine produced not far from burgundy.

The wine is a lighter color of a classic Pinot noir. The nose is a lovely combination of tart cherry, green grass, mossy oak and fresh herbs that is so familiar to those who love Pinot and burgundy!  The taste is a wonderful explosion of tart cherry and blackberry that transitions gracefully to some fresh herbs smoke and mineral notes mid palate. The finish is really wonderful as the tannins support a long, exceptionally dry finish. 

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5 as it's a really fabulous example of the wine. Tonight I am enjoying this wine with an appetizer of some cerignola olives and then a dinner of some smoke ham, garlic mashed potatoes and green beans, as the minerality just meshes perfectly with the smokiness of the ham, a perfect choice.  Bon Appetit!