WTN: 2004 Village Burgundy and 2000 Laurel Glen

Tuesday night:

2000 Laurel Glen Cabernet Sauvignon. A new producer for me...and I have to say I was very impressed!! I love Cabs that have the powerful tobacco and earth character-and this was a delicious mouthful of tobacco and leather. Still some good black fruit as well. I think I got this at an amazingly low price-$20?? $30 at most. Defintiely a light-medium mouthfeel, with the tannins fully resolved. Only complaint might be the finish is rather clipped. Delicious. 90 points. I hope they have more....

Christmas Eve:

2000 Alleanza (Sangio/Merlot) IGT Toscana from a partnership involving Gabbiano. Not exciting or transcendent in any way-this was a BevMo special, but it had all the nice characteristics of an Italian blend. Light cherry/sour cherry fruit, good acidity, nice leathery notes underneath. No evident oak or alcoholic heat. Good QPR. Solid 86 points

2001 Mitolo Jester McLaren Vale Shiraz. This surprised me-I didn't expect to like it as much as I did. Only 14.1% alcohol, so maybe not the monster wine I was expecting. Definitely rich fruit, but what I liked was the savory flavors and a really pleasant mouth feel. Maybe waiting is a good idea for Shiraz, too? 88 points???? I needed to drink more of this...

For Christmas Dinner (roast pork loin)

2004 Domaine Christophe Perrot-Minot Vosne-Romanee

One of the wine boggers (I think it's Rocks and Fruit...or maybe Old World Old School) was utterly slamming this producer as a New World oak and fruit bomb. I am now quite confused. If anything, it was very "restrained"-especially if one drinks a lot of California Pinot. Definitely the black cherry nose of a New World wine, but the palatte was quite light, featuring some cherry but also some light cranberry flavors. I would not rank this wine super highly because of the QPR, but it went with the dinner very well and the three of us finished the bottle over the evening. (And a magnificent, overblown piece of glass it was! I've never seen a BIGGER Burgundy bottle! ) 86 points.

2004 Domaine Christophe Perrot-Minot Vosne-Romanee

One of the wine boggers (I think it's Rocks and Fruit...or maybe Old World Old School) was utterly slamming this producer as a New World oak and fruit bomb. I am now quite confused. If anything, it was very "restrained"-especially if one drinks a lot of California Pinot..

I think there are several possible explanations.

1) If you are referring to Rockss and Fruit then you are talking about Lyle Fass and all his recommendations must be considered alongside the fact that he loves Battery Acid Wine.

2) This is a village wine from 2004 and perhaps not the best example of Perrot-Minot's full style.

3) Neither of the bloggers probably drink very much California Pinot.

I think there are several possible explanations.

1) If you are referring to Rockss and Fruit then you are talking about Lyle Fass and all his recommendations must be considered alongside the fact that he loves Battery Acid Wine.

2) This is a village wine from 2004 and perhaps not the best example of Perrot-Minot's full style.

3) Neither of the bloggers probably drink very much California Pinot.

Thanks, Rahsaan. Battery Acid wines.

I do like said battery acid wines (see the M. Olivier Cot note below). I guess I'm an odd man out in that I can enjoy, to a degree, bigger wines and leaner Euro wines.

1I understand from doing a little bit of reading that 2004 was considered a very light, under-concentrated vintage? The 2004 Confuron-Contedit last month had a lot more power

I understand from doing a little bit of reading that 2004 was considered a very light, under-concentrated vintage?

Something like that. But, given that we're talking about Burgundy if you want to hear more you could always start a new thread and see how many contrasting opinons and specific divergences emerge.

[David M. Bueker]

I don't think 2004 was light. The issue with 2004 (which isn't an issue for me) is an element of underripeness or some other kind of component that shows as a distinctly green aroma/flavor.

For my tastes I find it to be a slightly herbal/minty component and I like it. Others detest it.

I don't think 2004 was light. The issue with 2004 (which isn't an issue for me) is an element of underripeness or some other kind of component that shows as a distinctly green aroma/flavor..

Well...that was not a problem here. Just very light and somewhat elegant, actually. I was reacting to the VEHEMENCE of the bloggers' disdain. I actually also liked a 2001 HENRI Perrot-Minot wine, which predated the son's changing the domaine name to reflect his new tenure???