Damn, when you hit a good Burgundy at its peak, it just dont get much better. Case in point with this 2002 Arlaud Morey Saint-Denis Les Ruchots. Vineyard is located just downslope from Clos de Tart and the eastern part of Bonnes Mares.Slow-o for around 3 hours before dinner. Wow, tannins halve completely resolved to comprise a sweetness with the delicious red cherry fruit. Velvet palate. Bit of spice and sous bois. Nose is somewhat shy but the flavor more than makes up for it. Nice complexity as you hold it in your mouth and let secondary flavors unfold. One of the best from Burgundy that I've had in a long time.. paired superbly with lightly sauteed calamari followed by blackend grouper on a bed of Spinach and a side of risotto with shaved black truffles.
Enjoyed this over the course of two nights this week. Originally had planned to drink it with dinner last weekend, so it had been double decanted and aerated in a decanter for about 6 hours on Saturday. Since we didn't drink it that night, it was vacuvin-ed and stored for a couple of days.The extended aeration and extra couple of days under vacuvin really helped to mellow things out. It's already approachable but I am willing to bet it will enter early peak in about another 3 or 4 years. The perfumed nose is really, really nice on this wine. This is the Albesani cuvee (not the Riserva - which ironically doesnt seem to get as much love from the reviewers). Very clean fruit.... no funkiness. Didnt have much sediment. Red fruit profile with a tasty (but very subtle) tobacco accent. Classic tar and roses , all very well balanced. The back end has just a bit of tannic bite where things close down some. This is a great wine to have with a meal. Overall one of the most harmonious showings I've seen from this Producer. A solid "B" grade Barbaresco. Good value for the money. Stops short of being truly elegant.. but perhaps with more time in the bottle?Did I mention the floral nose on this wine is wonderful? :) Hard to put down the glass!
