TN: Burgundy or not Burgundy?

Earlier this year a friend of mine dug up a bunch of Pinot Noirs from his cellar and had a tasting on the theme of “Burgundy or not Burgundy?”. The idea was pretty simple: the wines came fully blind in flights of two and all one had to do was to guess which one of the pair was a Burgundy and which wasn’t.

For the most part it was fairly easy, although a few times both the wines were so “Burgundian” that I would have easily called either one as being from Burgundy and managed to luck out with a correct guess. Two pairs I got wrong: in the first case both the wines were very “Burgundian”, but incorrectly chose the Oregon wine as the true Burgundy wine because it was just so darn impressive. In the second case the Burgundy was just so aged and oxidative while the other wine which wasn’t, so that I incorrectly chose the one being in better shape as Burgundy (especially after it was revealed that the wines were of approximately same age).

The pairs (including my guesses) were:

Drouhin Oregon Roserock Pinot Noir 2014 (not Burgundy) - Alain Jeanniard Morey St. Denis 2016 (Burgundy) correct
Domaine Joblot Givry 1er Cru L’Empreinte 2018 (Burgundy) - Domaine Ostertag Pinot Noir Fronholz (not Burgundy) correct
Lingua Franca Pinot Noir Ostia Tempore 2016 (Burgundy) - Pascal Prunier-Bonheur Auxey-Duresses 1er Cru Les Duresses 2017 (not Burgundy) wrong
Dominique Gallois Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Les Goulots 2014 (Burgundy) - Bodega Chacra Pinot Noir Cincuenta y Cinco 2017 (not Burgundy) correct
Ganevat Côtes du Jura Les Grands Teppes 2018 (not Burgundy) - Domaine des Comtes Lafon Monthélie 1er Cru Les Duresses 2015 (Burgundy) correct
Marcel Deiss Burlenberg 1999 (Burgundy) - Domaine Louis Remy Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Derrière La Grange 2000 (not Burgundy) wrong


First we had a random blind just for orientation purposes:

  • 2018 Verónica Ortega Bierzo Quite - Spain, Castilla y León, Bierzo (5.1.2021)
    The fruit is sourced from organically farmed Mencía vines averaging 80 years old. Aged for 7 months in amphorae (50%) and old oak barrels (50%). 13% alcohol. Total production 18,000 bottles. Tasted fully blind.

Youthful, slightly translucent and quite dark cherry red color. Surprisingly funky nose with brett-driven aromas of horse stables and barnyard, lifted floral tones, some juicy forest fruits, light reductive notes of skunky funk and savory smoke and a ripe, almost liqueur-ish hint of sweet dark fruit. The wine is light-bodied, lively and subtly sweet-toned on the palate with acid-driven flavors of sweet black raspberries, bretty stable floor tones and Band-Aid, some reductive notes of gunpowder smoke, light candied notes of primary fruit, a little bit of tart cranberry, a sweet hint of juicy dark plums and a brambly touch of fresh raspberry. The structure relies mostly on the firm acidity, although the light-to-medium tannins show a little bit of grip as well. The finish is dry and quite long with a little bit of tannic grip and fresh yet funky flavors of sweet black cherries, peppery spice, some brambly black raspberry, light primary notes of blackberry marmalade, a phenolic hint of bitterness and a reductive touch of gunpowder smoke.

At first the wine - especially its nose - felt even a bit too funky, but as the wine opens up and one makes amends with the funky nature of the wine, it gets very nicely in balance. Although the wine is still so young it shows a bit of reduction and the brett lends quite a bit of merde to the aromatics, there’s nevertheless lots of ripe fruit here - and a great streak of acidity to serve as a nice counterpoint to the sweeter fruit tones. Although the bretty tones are pretty much to the fore, they never manage to bother me, but instead only add a nice, Kriek-like touch to the otherwise very vibrant, fruit-driven character of the wine. I first wondered if this was a naturalist Rhône Syrah or Côtes du Rhône based on its funk, reductive nature and dark-toned fruit, but when it was revealed that the wine wasn’t French, my next hunch was a lighter-end Bierzo Mencía. Got that one correct! (91 pts.)

Then, the tasting proper:

  • 2014 Drouhin Oregon Roserock Pinot Noir - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills (5.1.2021)
    Blended from fruit sourced from 35 different blocks around the Roserock vineyards, located at the southern edge of Eola-Amity Hills. Fully destemmed. Aged for 11 months in “approximately 20% French oak” (I don’t know if that means 20% new French oak; or fully in oak barrels of which 20% were French oak; or 80% in stainless steel and 20% in French oak). 14,1% alcohol. Total production 12,762 cases. Tasted fully blind.

Translucent and still relatively youthful crimson color with a pale, almost colorless rim. Dry, woody and slightly vegetal nose with aromas of raw beetroot, some woody notes of sawdust, light wild strawberry tones, a little bit of ripe black cherry, a hint of chocolatey mocha oak and a touch of dusty earth. The wine is ripe and sweetly-fruited on the palate with a medium body and dark-toned flavors of sweet, brooding oak spice, ripe black raspberries, some notes of beetroot, a little bit of mocha oak, light dusty earth tones, a hint of ripe red cherry and a touch of savory oak spice. The acidity feels quite high yet round and balanced, whereas the ripe, powdery tannins feel very mellow and gentle. The finish is dry-ish, very gently grippy and subtly warm with rather lengthy flavors of ripe black cherries, some raspberry jam, a little bit of toasty oak spice, light mocha tones, a little bit of meaty umami and a hint of grated beet.

A balanced but also somewhat too oaky, ripe and slightly too warm effort for a Pinot Noir. On the other hand the wine is accessible and balanced on the structural level, but on the other hand the wine shows a bit too heavy-handed winemaking, exhibiting a bit too pronounced woody tones of sawdust, cola and toasty mocha oak. And while the acidity is nicely in balance with the fruit, the fruit character itself was a bit on the ripe and sweet side while the alcohol showed a bit too much for my preference. And I have no idea where that slightly off-putting streak of raw beet came from. All in all, I’m not particularly impressed. To me, this was a rather obvious new world Pinot with its ripe fruit, high alcohol and quite pronounced oak character, so it didn’t take me long to guess “not Burgundy” - didn’t see much Burgundian stuff going on here. Priced somewhat according to its quality at approx. 35€. (86 pts.)

  • 2016 Alain Jeanniard Morey St. Denis - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Morey St. Denis (5.1.2021)
    Fermented spontaneously, aged in French oak barrels of which a small portion were new. 13,5% alcohol. Tasted fully blind.

Quite translucent ruby red color with a pale rim. Clean and somewhat reticent nose with aromas of brambly raspberries, ripe cranberries, some floral notes of violets, a little bit of forest floor, light smoky tones and a hint of savory wood spice. A pleasant, albeit not particularly complex or memorable nose. The wine is dry, crunchy and quite thoroughly Burgundian on the palate with a medium body and focused flavors of classic Pinosity, wild strawberries, some tart cranberries, a little bit of savory wood spice, light earthy tones a floral hint of violets. The wine shows good sense of ripeness without coming across as too ripe or sweet-toned. Good, fresh acidity and firm, moderately grippy medium tannins. The finish is fresh, long and gently grippy with bright flavors of ripe cranberries, brambly raspberries, some sour cherry bitterness, a little bit of earth, light ferrous notes of blood, a savory hint of woody spice and a sweeter touch of toasty oak followed by a subtly dank nuance of pot.

A fresh, tasty and enjoyably firm village-level Burgundy. Not a grand vin, but nothing too modest either. Great sense of balance. Overall the wine feels just way too young for its own good. Most likely the wine will start open up with a few more years down in a cellar, but I can imagine this will improve for another decade if not more. Enjoyable, precise and well-made stuff. At 35€ this is a good purchase, although requiring some aging first. (91 pts.)

  • 2018 Domaine Joblot Givry 1er Cru L’Empreinte - France, Burgundy, Côte Chalonnaise, Givry 1er Cru (5.1.2021)
    A blend of Goblot’s different Givry 1er Cru parcels. Fermented with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel, aged for a year in oak barrels (approximately 50% new). 13,5% alcohol. Tasted fully blind.

Youthful, translucent garnet color with a subtly blueish hue. Juicy, fragrant and rather dark-toned nose with somewhat oak-driven aromas of blueberries and blackcurrant candy, ripe raspberry, some cooked beet tones, a little bit of herbal sapidity, light notes of toasty oak spice, a hint of earthy sous-bois and a touch of fresh red plum. Overall the nose feels very fruit-forward, but also quite polished, lacking any obvious Pinosity. The wine is ripe, bright and enjoyably acid-driven with flavors of crunchy redcurrants, some bitter spice, light toasty notes of dark-toned oak spice, a little bit of sour cherry, a hint of sweet bilberry and a touch of earth. Good, structured overall feel, thanks to the fresh and enjoyably high acidity and firm, somewhat grippy medium tannins. The finish is dry, crunchy and slightly more tannic with rather long flavors of redcurrants, some blueberries, a little bit of cocoa oak, light stony mineral tones, a hint of sour cherry bitterness and a sweet touch of ripe black cherry.

A very nice, enjoyably fresh and quite intense Givry. Unfortunately the overall feel is rather polished with rather heavy-handed oak influence, but fortunately the wine shows good potential for future aging, so hopefully the most pronounced oak tones will integrate with the focused, intense fruit over the years. At the moment the wine shows so much oak influence along with its ripe, surprisingly dark-toned fruit that this could pass off as a well-made new world Pinot instead of Burgundy. However, I managed to correctly guess that this was Burgundy all the same! Good value at approx. 30€. (90 pts.)

  • 2018 Domaine Ostertag Pinot Noir Fronholz - France, Alsace (5.1.2021)
    Made from biodynamically farmed fruit. Fermented spontaneously in stainless steel, macerated for 10 days, aged for a year in used 228-liter Burgundy pièces. 13,5% alcohol. Tasted fully blind.

Luminous and fully translucent red color with a slightly evolved brick-orange hue. Crisp, berry-driven and slightly wild nose with some animale funk, some smoky tones, a little bit of crunchy red fruit and a hint of vinegary VA. The wine is ripe, rather sauvage and slightly unclean on the palate with a medium body and quite wild flavors of ripe red cherries and wild strawberries, some bretty funk, a little bit of sous-bois, light raspberry juicy tones, an acetic hint of VA and a touch of hay. The acidity feels moderately high yet quite round and mellow, while the tannins are virtually nonexistent. The finish is wild, medium-long and subtly yet perceptibly mousy with flavors of salty liquorice, some fresh redcurrant, a little bit of sweet red plum and a hint of mousy THP. The fruit flavors fade away relatively fast but the mousiness persists for some time.

A juicy, somewhat too wild and structurally a bit too soft Pinot Noir that suffers from a mild yet unappetizing case of mousiness. People who tasted this wine earlier didn’t notice mousiness, so most likely the wine will perform better upon opening than with some air. However, the overall feel wasn’t particularly impressive to me, so I doubt I would’ve scored the wine particularly high even without the mousiness. Feels overpriced for its quality at approx. 40€. (75 pts.)

Quite translucent and still rather youthful cherry red color with a subtly plummy-purple hue. Dry, savory and slightly smoky nose with nuanced aromas of understated Pinosity, gamey funk, some earthy tones, a little bit of sweet red cherry, light crunchy notes of redcurrant, a brambly hint of raspberry and a touch of savory wood spice. The wine feels dry, textural and enjoyably sinewy on the palate with a medium body and firm, moderately grippy tannins. Vibrant flavors of ripe raspberries, fresh red plums, some gamey meat, a little bit of stony minerality, light woody notes of pencil shavings and smoky oak, a hint of earth and a sanguine touch of iron. The structure relies on both the tannins and on the high acidity. The finish is dry, moderately grippy and quite meaty with rather long flavors of fresh red fruits, gamey meat, some earth, light toasty notes of smoke, a little bit of savory wood spice, a hint of phenolic bitterness and a sanguine touch of iron.

A surprisingly serious, structure-driven and still relatively angular effort. At first the nose didn’t move me much, but the wine opens up beautifully into an impressively savory, textural effort. The taste here is even better than the nose. I was thoroughly impressed by this wine - it’s definitely not a fruit-forward crowdpleaser, but instead very much like old school Burgundy. Although in a pretty lovely spot right now, I can imagine the wine will continue to improve for years more. Even when the wine was pitted blind against a Burgundy (2017 Pascal Prunier-Bonheur Auxey-Duresses 1er Cru), I guessed that this was Burgundy. Terrific, well-made stuff. Priced according to its quality at 48€. (94 pts.)

  • 2017 Pascal Prunier-Bonheur Auxey-Duresses 1er Cru Les Duresses - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Auxey-Duresses 1er Cru (5.1.2021)
    From a 0,5-ha plot planted in 1946. Made with destemmed fruit, fermented with indigenous yeasts. Aged for 15-18 months in 228-liter French oak pièces (20-30% new oak) then for another 2-6 months in larger tanks. 13% alcohol. Tasted fully blind.

Surprisingly pale and thin ruby-red color with a colorless rim - this looks more like a Cerasuolo than a red wine. Very light and restrained nose with reticent yet pleasantly fine-tuned aromas of ripe raspberries, some arctic bramble, a little bit of allspice and a hint of cool, stony minerality. The nose feels quite seductive, but at the same time very hard to take grasp of. The wine is fresh, delicate and silky on the palate with a light-to-medium body and nuanced flavors of fresh lingonberries and cranberries, some stony minerality, a little bit of brambly raspberry, light earthy tones and a hint of savory wood spice. The structure relies more on the balanced, high acidity than on the light and easy tannins. The finish is clean, silky and very gently grippy with long, restrained flavors of fresh raspberries and arctic bramble, some ripe cranberry, a little bit of stony minerality and a hint of savory wood spice.

A surprisingly light, fresh and delicate effort, especially if one takes the warm vintage into account. The wine is wonderfully nuanced, seductive and beautifully silky with a harmonious overall feel, but at the same time a bit underwhelming and perhaps lacking a bit in character - the wine is very recognizable as a Pinot Noir, but while there is good Burgundy typicity here, I’d still expect something with more persona and intensity. Hopefully the wine will open up and pick up some depth in a cellar. This is a lovely little Beaune red from the lighter end that whispers rather than sings and seeing how lovely voice is, I wish the wine could boost up its volume a little bit. Good value at 28€. (89 pts.)

Luminous, youthful and rather translucent ruby red color. Dark-toned, nuanced and slightly sweet-toned nose with aromas of black cherries, some dusty woody notes and a little bit of sweet, toasty oak spice, light crunchy notes of crowberries, a little bit of peppery spice and a hint of wild strawberries. The wine is firm and quite acid-driven on the palate with a medium body and quite intense flavors of crunchy cranberries, ferrous notes of blood, some stony mineral tones, a little bit of sweet, toasty oak spice and cocoa dust, light bitter notes of sour cherries, autumnal hints of damp forest and a touch of rich, kombu-like umami that seems to grow towards the aftertaste. The structure relies mostly on the rather high acidity, not that much on the ripe and mellow tannins. The finish is dry and crunchy with long flavors of fresh cranberries and ripe lingonberries, some ferrous notes of blood, a little bit of toasty oak spice, light stony mineral tones and a hint of umami.

A sophisticated and harmonious Gevrey-Chambertin. Perhaps still a bit oak-forward in nature, but otherwise very harmonious in style: the wine shows great acidity, good freshness and precision to the fruit and lovely intensity to the taste. The oak seems to distract a bit, making the wine feel a bit lacking in character and making it feel somewhat anonymous, but otherwise this is a lovely, well-made effort. Hopefully another 5-10 years could integrate the oak better with the vibrant fruit - at least the wine shows good potential for future development, seeing how youthful it still is. Nice stuff, albeit perhaps a bit pricey for the quality at 55€. (92 pts.)

  • 2017 Bodega Chacra Pinot Noir Cincuenta y Cinco - Argentina, Patagonia (5.1.2021)
    From a vineyard planted in 1955, farmed biodynamically. Vinified in whole clusters. Fermented spontaneously with indigenous yeasts in concrete tanks. Aged for 11 months in concrete tanks (50%) and used barrels (50%; 2nd, 3rd and 4th use). Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 12,5% alcohol. Tasted fully blind.

Luminous, very pale and fully translucent strawberry red color with a wide, colorless rim. Very fragrant, somewhat wild and subtly lifted nose with vibrant aromas of red cherries and pronounced cherry pit tones, some plum liqueur, a little bit of wild strawberry, light floral notes of violets, subtly funky notes of bretty lift and a touch of flint smoke. The wine is ripe, dense and medium-bodied on the palate with a silky mouthfeel and very juicy flavors of ripe strawberries and ripe red plums, even slightly sweet carbonic fruit notes of raspberry candies, some wild notes of lifted bretty perfume, light crunchy notes of fresh redcurrants, a little bit of cherry pit and a flinty hint of smoke. The overall feel is quite round, but not soft - the balanced, moderately high acidity and somewhat grippy medium tannins bring some welcome firmness to the palate. The finish is ripe and gentle with nuanced, medium-long aftertaste of sweet strawberries, some black cherries, a little bit of cherry pit, light floral notes of violets, a hint of crunchy cranberries and a slightly zesty touch of lifted bretty character.

A fun, playful and very accessible little Pinot Noir that feels both like a glou-glou bistro wine and a serious Pinot Noir at the same time. Although the wine looks very pale and has a rather delicate overall character, it boasts surprisingly good intensity and sense of weight. I love the nuance and purity of fruit here, but the structure is a bit on the round and mellow side - even though the wine never once comes across as soft or flabby. The difference to Burgundy wines in this tasting is nevertheless pretty obvious - this is more about fruit and less about structure. It’s hard to say whether this wine will age, but to me it really doesn’t feel like a wine that calls for aging - it is very accessible and enjoyable right now. A lovely new world Pinot Noir made in a very anti-blockbuster style. At 55€ it feels perhaps a bit overpriced for the quality, though. (88 pts.)

  • 2018 Jean-François Ganevat Côtes du Jura Les Grands Teppes - France, Jura, Côtes du Jura (5.1.2021)
    Pinot Noir from a vineyard planted in 2016. Grapes are fermented as whole bunches starting with carbonic maceration, followed by conventional fermentation with indigenous yeasts. Aged for a year in tronconic oak vats. Vinified without any SO2. 12% alcohol. Tasted fully blind.

Pale, very translucent and slightly hazy raspberry red color with a thin, colorless rim. Rather wild and not particularly pleasant nose with aromas of animal funk, some burnt hair, light autumnal notes of damp forest, a little bit of red gooseberry and a hint of wild strawberry. The wine is lively, wild and acid-driven with a streak of mousiness that pops up already on the midpalate, not on the aftertaste! Flavors of burnt hair, some rancid sesame seed, light wild strawberry tones, a little bit of nuttiness and a hint of decomposing wood. Firm, mouthwatering acidity and no tannins whatsoever. Unclean, acid-driven aftertaste with a short and very unpleasantly mousy aftertaste.

Ugh. Probably the most disappointing estate-fruit Ganevat I’ve tasted. People who tasted this right upon opening said the wine was very wild but nevertheless enjoyable and fully drinkable right after popping the cork. However, after some time the wine turns almost horribly mousy and thus becomes virtually undrinkable. Drink any bottles you have right after opening. My score reflects how the wine was after some time the wine had been opened, so perhaps it is better if drunk sooner. Nevertheless, at 56€ this feels very overpriced for the quality. Nothing unlike the spectacular white Les Grands Teppes. (72 pts.)

  • 2015 Domaine des Comtes Lafon Monthélie 1er Cru Les Duresses - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Monthélie 1er Cru (5.1.2021)
    From vineyards planted between mid 70’s and mid-90’s and farmed biodynamically. Fermented in stainless steel. Aged for approximately 1½ years in 228-liter burgundy pièces (approx. 1/3 new). Tasted fully blind.

Luminous, fully translucent and beautifully ruby-red color with a slightly evolved pomegranate hue. Slightly restrained but attractively fine-tuned nose with aromas of ripe cranberries and red cherries, some understated smoky tones which can be either reduction or toasty oak, light savory wood tones, a little bit of gravelly minerality, a vanilla-driven hint of baking spices and a touch of brambly raspberry. The wine is ripe, firm and moderately acid-driven on the palate with bright flavors of ripe cranberries and brambly raspberries, some sanguine tones, a little bit of sweet, toasty oak spice, light stony mineral tones, a hint of sour cherry bitterness and a juicy touch of ripe dark fruits. The overall feel is harmonious and enjoyably structured, thanks to the precise, high acidity and the firm, gently grippy tannins. The finish is long and vibrant with flavors of ripe black cherries, crunchy cranberries, some savory wood spice, light gravelly mineral tones, a little bit of fresh redcurrants and a sweeter hint of toasty cocoa dust oak.

A ripe but also enjoyable firm, balanced and structured young Burgundy. The overall feel is still a bit too young and slightly restrained, although the wine isn’t noticeably closed in any way. The fruit department just feels like it is holding back a little and the toastier oak tones are slightly too much to the fore for my taste. However, the wine feels still very youthful, which promises volumes regarding the aging potential. Most likely the wine just needs another 10 years or more before it really starts to sing. The warm vintage shows in the sweeter and more darker-toned nuances in the fruit, but the overall feel is enjoyably fresh, crunchy and acid-driven, so there’s nothing to complain here. Well, except for the price; at 70-75€ the wine feels a bit pricey for its quality. (92 pts.)

  • 1999 Marcel Deiss Burlenberg - France, Alsace (5.1.2021)
    A wine made from the grapes sourced from the lieu-dit Burlenberg, a field blend of Pinot Noir and Pinot Beurot aka. Pinot Gris. Tasted fully blind.

Deep, quite translucent ruby red color that turns to brick-red to pale orange as we move towards the rim. Evolved, somewhat restrained and wonderfully nuanced nose with layered aromas of wizened sour cherries, some sweet strawberry tones, a little bit of smoke, light lifted notes of sweet, ethery VA, a hint of raisiny fruit and a mushroomy touch of sous-bois. The wine is firm, developed and savory on the palate with a medium body and intense yet slightly reticent flavors of wizened cranberries and sour cherries, some wild strawberries, light ferrous notes of blood, a little bit of stony minerality, an umami hint of gamey meat and an oxidative touch of soy sauce. The overall feel is very structured, thanks to the firm and rather grippy tannins and the high acidity that lends great intensity to the slightly restrained flavors. The finish is firm, somewhat evolved and quite grippy with intense flavors of cranberries, some wizened sour cherries, a little bit of sanguine iron, light stony mineral notes, a hint of gamey meat and a touch of tart lingonberry. Although the flavors aren’t bursting in your mouth, they last for a remarkably long time, intermingling with each other.

A very complex, harmonious and beautifully evolved Pinot Noir. Perhaps a bit on the restrained side, but nevertheless shows remarkable intensity and depth of flavor - although the wine doesn’t explode in your mouth, I doubt it won’t be overwhelmed by even any rich and hearty dishes. Tasting the wine blind alongside Louis Remy Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Derriere La Grange 2000, I thought that out of these two wines this Deiss one was Burgundy - thanks to its great complexity, sense of structure and more youthful overall character. Most likely peaking now - although the structure could take on more aging, I doubt the fruit will benefit from further cellaring. A very complete wine; priced more or less according to its quality at approx. 70€. (94 pts.)

Translucent pomegranate red with an evolved mahogany hue. Developed, somewhat oxidative nose with aromas of raisins and prune, some beef jerky, light notes of bouillon, a little bit of sweet cranberry sauce, a hint of wood bark and a sweeter touch of syrupy richness. The wine is firm, acid-driven and light-to-medium-bodied on the palate with somewhat oxidative flavors of raisins, some syrupy tones, a little bit of pruney dark fruit, light fruity notes of lingonberries and wizened raspberries, a hint of tangy salinity and a touch of bloody game. Overall the taste feels a bit past its peak, but the structure is definitely there, thanks to the high acidity and moderately grippy medium-plus tannins. The finish is very long, very evolved and slightly oxidative with fully tertiary flavors of wizened red plums, crunchy cranberries, some raisiny fruit, light beef jerky tones, a little bit of tangy salinity, an oxidative hint of soy sauce and a touch of earth. The firm tannins lend a moderately grippy note to the aftertaste.

A very mature and enjoyably structured Chambolle-Musigny that is slowly turning quite oxidative. Shows good firmness, grit and intensity, but the fruit department is getting a bit tired. Still quite enjoyable now and many people in the tasting seemed to love the wine, but for me it was getting already past its peak - I can imagine I would’ve scored the wine higher had I tasted it some 5 years ago. Tasting this alongside Deiss Burlenberg 1999, I guessed this wine was the not Burgundy out of these two wines - my guess was an extracted new world Pinot Noir, 10-15 years old. While still offers some pleasure, I wouldn’t say the wine isn’t worth the 80€ anymore - or then we had just a prematurely aged bottle. (91 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

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Beautiful and very detailed TNs

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Yeah- great notes as always. Interesting to see the strong showing for LF. I have a couple 17s I need to check in on in the near future.
Thanks.

It was interesting for me as well, as admittedly I had never even heard of the producer - basically because we have very little if any Oregon wines available in Europe.

Tasting the wines fully blind was a perfect opportunity for this particular wine to shine - when one does not know what the tasted wine is, one does not find things that they might expect to find there, even if there isn’t any! I was very positively surprised by the level of quality here.

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i had never heard of this bottling of Lingua Franca before this post. W-S looks like i’m not the only one thats true for probably.

I think you’d be forgiven for the mistaking anything from LF for Burgundy though, especially given the winery’s history and the involvement of Dominique Lafon.

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This sounds like an awesome night.

The note on LF was very intriguing so I tried to poke around to see if I could find a bottle here. I wonder if maybe this is called something else in the States?

Looking online it seems that maybe the Ostia was only available in Europe and Singapore. I saw this comment from a wine email from somewhere called Vintage SG:

Vintage’s Sommelier Pick : Ostia Tempore, Pinot noir from Oregon, US

From: Vintage SG
Sent: Wed, 9 Sep 2020, 13:54

OSTIA TEMPORE
Our one and only non-French “Coup de Coeur” !
Offer available until Monday 14 September

An American wine from your French Wine Wholesaler in Singapore?
That’s true… we are making an exception. But what an exceptional wine! Our team fell in love with this Burgundy-style wine from Oregon. Made by a French winemaker!

Ostia Tempore History, from Burgundy to Oregon:
The grapes vinified for Ostia Tempore come from a single vineyard in the Eola Amity Hills appellation. South facing on a pretty slope, the selection is made in 100% Pommard clone.
The famous Burgundy family De Villaine, leading by Bertrand, planted this plot in 2008. The grapes are entirely dedicated to Ostia Tempore winemaking.The vines are cultivated organically according to the agricultural principles of permaculture. The vineyard forms like a tame breakthrough in the middle of an expanse of greenery where fauna and flora, natural and domestic, coexist.

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Good, precise question on what does 20% new French oak mean. I presume it means all barrel aged, 20% of the barrels were new French oak, the rest presumably older barrels, and though the specify “French” oak virtually everything in wood here is in French oak, especially if it’s Drouhin. Thanks for the interesting notes and comparisons.

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I want to emphasize that the details did not say “20% new French oak” but just “20% French oak”.

Great notes!
Otto, have you tried any other vintages of the Bodega Chacra Pinot Noir Cincuenta y Cinco? There is a wide vintage variation on this particular label, being 2017 one of my least favorites. On the other hand the 2018 is one of the best Cincuenta y Cinco that I’ve tried. Personally I would put the 2017 in a Beaujolais / not Beaujolais blind tasting as I find some Gameyish character in that Pinot.

Thank you!

Alas, I have not tried any other Chacra wines, this was my first touch with the producer.

Really interesting, thanks for sharing. These kinds of tastings are always fun and intriguing. Looking in my cellar, I see my non-Burgundy Pinot doesn’t go back all that far, just 13 or 14 years.

Indeed they are!

One thing I also noticed: apparently I always chose the wine that got the better score of the two as “Burgundy” - which always wasn’t the actual case.

Even though the wine tasting was fully blind, I guess it’s still possible to see some personal bias here? [wow.gif]

Not in defense of the Drouhin Roserock, but 2014 was probably the hottest year in Oregon for the 21st century, which would help to explain your impression of “ripe and slightly too warm effort for a Pinot Noir.” It was a delight for critics but not so much for some winemakers.

I find all the DDO wines I’ve tried recently to be on the ripe, oaky side. At least all of them since about 2000 or so. The first 10 vintages or so were much more true Oregon in sytle, IMO.

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Good emphasis lol. I would assume that’s an editorial issue, I’m sure they meant 20% new.

Thomas Savre, the winemaker, is one of the most gifted winemakers I have met. He is French, but even then his talent is well above the median for his heritage(IMO). Dominique and Larry picked up a gem in him.

It’s funny, I always kept Lafon Volnays on the wine list back in the day because they typically had a more approachable softness to them.