WTN: '04 Brun Brouilly, '02 Cline Zin
Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2006 2:13 pm
I've liked Jean Paul Brun's 2004 L'Ancien and Fleurie, and the buzz on both has grown, but I haven't heard a peep yet re the Cote de Brouilly. Time to take one for the team. Upon uncorking, the 2004 Brun (Terres Dorres) Cote-de-Brouilly comes across as a bit light. Pleasant though, crisp and grapey. But as evening progresses this puts on weight in the glass. What starts off as a bit slight deepens into a beautiful Beaujolais, with black cherry and raspberry fruit over some stony minerality. There's structure to let this last a while, but damn it's good now. Time to get more of this. B+/A-
I spoke at a Lenten supper last night, then headed home for a late supper of my own. Betsy made a great brisket recipe with onions and raisins, sides of potato salad and broccolli. Wine was the 2002 Cline Zinfandel (California). Sweet ripe red berry fruit, a little toasty oak/vanilla note. A perfectly acceptable wine for under $10, but I think the '99 Cline CA Zin has saddled me with unreasonably high expections for this bottling. B
Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent
wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. Anything below C means I wouldn't
drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no
promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.
I spoke at a Lenten supper last night, then headed home for a late supper of my own. Betsy made a great brisket recipe with onions and raisins, sides of potato salad and broccolli. Wine was the 2002 Cline Zinfandel (California). Sweet ripe red berry fruit, a little toasty oak/vanilla note. A perfectly acceptable wine for under $10, but I think the '99 Cline CA Zin has saddled me with unreasonably high expections for this bottling. B
Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent
wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. Anything below C means I wouldn't
drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no
promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.