In the 90210 Day 3. Dinner with Paul!

March 13, 2010

A re-visit of one of my favorite 50th birthday wines. Edmond Vatan produces this wine on his own Chavignon property.  Six months later, the wine was still perfect. A clean crisp nose, green and slightly herbal.  The palate was layers of complexity but etherially light. Stone, flint, copper, thyme, clean acids, green apple all dancing together. This time the wine was perfectly round, like a polished clear stone sphere. In October it was more crystalline in structure.

 I just could have continued to drink this wine all night. It paired well with cold cracked Dungeness crab and a salad of baby greens and herbs tossed in a lemon shallot and EVOO dressing...

 It does not suck.

Almost impossible to find it. Should you manage to find a bottle DRINK THIS WINE!!!

 Next up was the Domaine L'Arlot Nuits Saint George Blanc Clos de L'Arlot 1998. We both agreed it was too "pretty" for Burgundy. The nose was warm and clean, with a touch of floral. The palate was very round, with green apple and more warm tones, but not enough power or "edge" to make it interesting. Not a bad wine, but very feminine. It paired well with the grilled whole Bronzino with grilled artichokes.

 The clear star of the evening was the Domaine Bertagna Chambertin Grand Cru 1995. Now what is really cool is that this wine has come full circle to me. I SOLD this wine to Paul back in 1997.  He was in Austin on a visit to me, when the winemaker from Bertagna was in town and wanted to taste me on the wines. So he came to my house and was gracious enough to allow Paul to join. Paul was so impressed he ordered a mixed case which I shipped direct to his wine storage upon arrival. How cool he brought that one to dinner.  The nose was huge and amazing. One of those where it pours out of the glass and can be smelled a foot and a half away. Floral, rich, dark and red fruits, spice and clean earth.  You could just breathe the nose and be content. The palate was textbook perfect red Burgundy: Layers of rich and complex flavors but NEVER heavy on the palate. More dark and red fruits, clean forest floor earthiness, touch of leather and floral tones. The acids were strong but subtle, giving backbone but able to cut nicely into the Braised Lamb Shanks I paired with it. A homerun out of the park with all bases loaded!!! I would urge you to find a bottle, but doubt you could, and if you did, it can't be cheap.  This one still had the 1997 price sticker I put on it of $89.99! 

Should you stumble upon this wine, buy all they have and DRINK THIS AMAZING and PERFECT BURGUNDY WINE!!!!

Cheers,

Rob Moshein

Austin Wine Guy