Here's a wine that justifies that existence of wine blog because my fellow wine bloggers (2005 and 1985 by Wino Sapien, 2004 by Joe's Wine) seem to be the only people writing about this wine at all.
Very pale straw in color, for those who are interested in those things. The nose is a cross between Chablis and Cote de Beaune, flint and chalk mineraliness over citrus fruit and an enchanting, musky herbal essance in the far background that vaguly recalls cured meats. It breaks with Bourgogne on the palate which can't be Beaune because there's no oak, and can't be Chablis because it's just a few degrees too round. And at the core has a slightly off-dry, succulent, elegant fruitiness that is too delicate to be Chardonnay. Though the fruit, residual sugar and acidity are deftly balanced and integrated, it's hard to gauge the aging potential of this pretty wine because it's just so drinkable right now (albeit it shuts down somwhat in glass and it is not very complex to begin with) but let's put it this way, if someone served it blind and told me it was a three year old Chablis Premier Cru, I'd guess it could keep at least five more years. But according to my fellow bloggers and friends who have tasted aged Vouvrays from Bredif, my estimate is conservative.
Imported by Hakerem and sold for around 100 NIS (depending on where you find it, I guess). A good buy even at that price but if you ever find it on discount, buy a half case.
Very pale straw in color, for those who are interested in those things. The nose is a cross between Chablis and Cote de Beaune, flint and chalk mineraliness over citrus fruit and an enchanting, musky herbal essance in the far background that vaguly recalls cured meats. It breaks with Bourgogne on the palate which can't be Beaune because there's no oak, and can't be Chablis because it's just a few degrees too round. And at the core has a slightly off-dry, succulent, elegant fruitiness that is too delicate to be Chardonnay. Though the fruit, residual sugar and acidity are deftly balanced and integrated, it's hard to gauge the aging potential of this pretty wine because it's just so drinkable right now (albeit it shuts down somwhat in glass and it is not very complex to begin with) but let's put it this way, if someone served it blind and told me it was a three year old Chablis Premier Cru, I'd guess it could keep at least five more years. But according to my fellow bloggers and friends who have tasted aged Vouvrays from Bredif, my estimate is conservative.
Imported by Hakerem and sold for around 100 NIS (depending on where you find it, I guess). A good buy even at that price but if you ever find it on discount, buy a half case.
Comments
Lovely note. I agree it's terrific right now and hard to resist. I've a soft spot for it, as it is one of the only readily available Vouvrays that I can get in Oz.
I've one bottle left of the 1985 which I am planning to open in 2015 or beyond!
it's hard to compare the 2005 and 2003 because I had them a year apart and when a wine is so new to me, it's hard for me to make the memories 'stick'. But they seem very similar.