My good friend John Worley shared this unique wine with me one night, during a heavy conversation surrounding the meaning of life and why so many good people were leaving the planet. It blended well with a deep discussion - with an eerie yet enjoyable herbal overtone and extreme complexity.
I usually find a good French burgundy a bit too deep for my tastes, this Burgundy was not overly tannic or astringent, and was fully drinkable now. After all, it IS a 2006 wine!
I tasted a bright and edgy fruit component, coupled with a tonic-like taste (think Grappa), and a hint of rosemary and chartreuse. It's seriousness lent it well to a discussion regarding life, death, and what it all means. Although I drank it in mid summer, I saved this post for October - the season of Halloween and the death of the old year - looking forward to the birth of the new. I tasted strong cranberry flavors on the mid palate, another wonderful fall flavor.
French wines are very different from California wines - but extremely enjoyable (when you find a good wine and don't try to drink it too early). They are more earthly and dark, and usually cellar well and are undrinkable if not cellared properly. A great French wine is like a wonderful Chanel suit- it needs a certain amount of age to be truly magnificent.
From the French wine-growing region of Fleurie, this wine can be aged for 20 years.
Food Pairings: The herbal character of this wine would make it a great accompaniment to roasted potatoes with butter and rosemary, or to a sage crusted roast chicken ( take a whole chicken, rub it with olive oil, salt and pepper it inside and out, then season with ground sage. Cut up a peeled onion and put it in the cavity, then roast the chicken for one hour at 350 degrees F). I would also pair it with a nice fall cinnamon apple pie.
Other Pairings: Deep conversations, All-Hallows Eve, vampire or horror movies, or planning Halloween activities were all things I came up with for enjoying with this wine. It would also be great as a Hayride wine, or to drink while pumpkin carving.
Music Pairings: While drinking this wine, for some funny reason I thought of Simon and Garfunkel's ".....parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme". Charles Mingus's Epitaph rings a chord (sorry, I love puns), as does anything played on a harpsichord, or in Phrygian mode (for all my music nerd friends).
Where to Buy: This was a challenge! I believe friend John bought it at K and L in downtown Redwood City, but couldn't find a place down South to purchase. Here is a link to some online sources for this nice wine from Fleurie.
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