A tough day and a glorious red Burgundy

It's been a tough day. Rather than spending some time doing a million-and-one other things that badly need doing, I've spent far too much of my evening hunched over the engine of No.1 son's car, whilst No.2 son's car is also posing problems. Oh, the joys of motoring! And I'm the first to admit that, when it comes to cars, jobs, and life in general, our kids have it so much harder (and much more expensive) these days than we had it 25 or 30 years ago. I feel for them, and want so much to be able to help them in any way I can. Anyway, the upshot is, one car needs a new clutch, whilst the other needs a good service and a little TLC. And I needed to open a nice bottle of wine! 

Domaine Gachot-Monot Cotes de Nuits Villages 2003

To be honest, from previous experience, I had no great expectations of this particular wine. I expected it to be decent, like the previous few bottles we have enjoyed, but they have been a bit variable. Some have been quite enjoyable and correct, whilst others have shown a bit too much of that 2003 richness that tends to stifle the balance which is oh-so important in red Burgundy. Not faulty, just slightly disappointing. But this particular bottle is absolutely spot-on, and just what the doctor ordered. It is slightly savoury, maybe even a touch meaty, but behind the savouriness it also displays all the hallmark Pinot aromas and flavours, with an abundance of raspberries and wild strawberries, rotting leaves, flowers and hint of orange zest. Lots of nice descriptors, I'm sure you will agree, but - much more importantly - everything knits together beautifully in a wine that has real focus, with a citrus-like acidity which lifts it from the good to the sublime. In fact, it is unbelievably fresh and full of vitality. It is rarely an easy thing to convey the true feel of a red Burgundy in the written word, but those who know the region well will know exactly what I am getting at. Which is that - when you get the right wine, on the right night, in the right mood - there is hardly a wine style in the whole world to rival it. After a somewhat trying and hectic day, this is a lovely way to end the evening - and, for a humble village wine (and from a somewhat maligned and iffy vintage), it is a truly glorious expression of Burgundy Pinot Noir. So much so that I may never experience a better bottle of this particular wine, from this particular vintage. It may just turn out to be a classic example of the old adage - there are no great wines..... just great bottles. Then again, it may just be the first of several perfect bottles - and it really is in a great place, at the moment. So I'm glad that I still have a few bottles left, as I can see it getting better and better. A lovely, lovely wine - and it cost me considerably less than a tenner a bottle at auction! :-)

      

Two lovely wines drank this weekend - Lebanon and Burgundy

I've been busy writing the website entries for all of the new wines coming in next week (including Mas Foulaquier and Domaine de La Marfée), so there's not been much opportunity to write up the final instalment from the Vinisud trip. I'll add that within the next day or two. Meanwhile, it is the weekend, so time to open a nice bottle or two - and these have gone down particularly well....

Hochar Pere et Fils 2002 - Chateau Musar, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon. I've heard great things about the 2003 vintage of this wine, but I saw the 2002 in a local shop today (which seems to stock the whole range, including Ch Musar 2002 red, 2003 white, 200(?) rosé and 200(?) Hochar white) so I took a chance. Actually, it is really rather good. Traces of the hallmark Musar volatile acidity - though somewhat less overt than in the "grand vin" - with old oak/cedar, poached raspberry and plum, wild strawberry, tea, forest floor and subtle hints of herb and allspice. The palate is velvety and warming, with a decent, long-ish finish. The tannins are quite soft, but there is a lovely backbone of acidity (the normal kind!) which combines beautifully with the almost sweet red and black fruit flavours. The result is tangy, almost sweet and sour. This is the first Hochar Pere et Fils I have tasted in donkey's years, and I have to say I'm smitten. OK, so it is perhaps not as quirky as Musar itself, but (even at a relatively pricey £11.50 - for this cuvée, that is) it gives a lot of bang for your buck. Lovely stuff!

Since we were in danger of completely draining the Hochar Pere et Fils 2002 before we even sat down to eat, I thought I'd better revisit the wine we started (but did not finish) last night. As it is a Burgundy (which, in my experience, don't tend to keep too well once opened) I thought it might have gone past its best after 24 hours, but not a bit of it. In fact, it has actually improved - though it was nice to begin with.....

Domaine Gachot-Monot "Aux Crots" 2004 Nuits Saint Georges. Surprisingly light in colour - even for a red Burgundy - being a very pale carmine-red, verging on amber, with a watery rim. Compared to the Hochar, the nose is actually quite tarry and even quite masculine, but with some backgound notes of violets and roses, it also has its feminine side. The fruit aromas tend towards bramble, but there are also notes of morello cherry, raspberry and strawberry, along with very definite hints of rotting leaves and undergowth. The palate is also quite tarry, even a touch rustic, but there is also a degree of elegance and charm that (were I tasting blind) would lead me only to Burgundy. Like the Hochar, it is tangy, with an underlying core of sweet fruit, but the acidity is even more heightened - lovely to drink on its own, but even better with food. I have 2 or 3 more bottles of this tucked away and, although it is lovely to drink now (unusually, for 2004 Burgundy) I suspect it will age nicely for a few more years yet.