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Sunday, November 27, 2016

Post-Thanksgiving Burgundy and California Pinot Noir

Enjoyed a couple of Burgs and a couple of California pinots together at dinner on the day after Thanksgiving.  The California pinots were both in day 2 phase, having been opened and partially consumed on Thanksgiving.

It was challenging to transition in style between the Burgs and the California wines.  Most folks tended to drink the Burgs and then move on to the California wines since they were heavier.

All wines paired with grilled pork tenderloin, Brussels sprouts (cooked with bacon, cranberries and Gorgonzola Piccante) , leftover cornbread dressing and green bean casserole from Thanksgiving.

2003 Bertagna Vougeot Clos de la Perriere  (Monopole)
Slow-o in bottle for 2 hours. Attractive floral aromatics with a bit of funk. Plummy ripe fruit and sous bois. Not a lot of complexity on the finish. Far less nimble than the Sigaut Sentiers. Very little sediment.

2009 Anne & Herve Sigaut Chambolle-Musigny Les Sentiers Vieilles Vignes
Slow-o in bottle for 2 hours and then decanted for more air (from which it benefited greatly). Very little sediment.
Produced from vines planted in 1947 on a plot just downslope from  Bonnes Mares.  Young, very bright morello cherry with a pop of spice. High-toned aromatics. It took about 3 hours in the decanter for this wine to settle down and start revealing its underlying grace. The palate mellowed out with  a savory sous bois, and the finish evolved to become more interesting.  Definitely the favorite of the two Burgs.

2011 Big Basin Pinot Noir Coastview Vineyard (Monterey)
Once again, a wow! wine on day 2.  The aromatics are striking with what could be interpreted as Gabilan Mountains "garrigue" along with framboise and anise. High altitude (2400 ft) parcel near the Mt Harlan (Calera) AVA , comprised of decompsed granite and limestone.  Raspberry fruit is still fresh on day 2.  Finish has evolved a bit and bodes well for future cellaring.

2006 Martinelli Pinot Noir Lolita Vineyard
A fine wine on its own, but shows a monolithic and somewhat ponderous compared to the other 3 wines. This is not the freshest example I've had of this vintage and cuvee. Big earthy fruit character with dusty tannins. Not a lot of heat, but a bit on the rich, extracted side.


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