Wine Dinner à la Bourguignonne

 Following a delay of many months, a long-planned wine dinner among a small gathering of old and new friends finally took place recently on a warm Saturday evening in Mt Airy.  The host, a wine enthusiast who's attended a number of my wine tasting classes over the years, featured an array of white and red burgundy wines (to which he is unabashedly partial), accompanied by a movable feast of French cheeses, shrimp cocktail, ripe, juicy Jersey tomatoes, rice and rack of lamb, topped off by a decadent selection of pastries and chocolates with a pour of a local Pennsylvania ice wine.

                                    

We started off at the home of the host's neighbor with the two white Burgundies: a 2018 Puligny-Montrachet from the Domaine Vincent Bachelet and a Premier Cru Chablis from the Vignoble Dampt.

The Puligny-Montrachet is produced at the family estate in Chassagne-Montrachet in the Cote de Beaune region of Burgundy where Vincent established in 2007 his portion of the original 4th generation estate of 100 hectares which was divided among him and his brothers.

This 100% Chardonnay exudes a particular aroma of tropical fruit, notably pineapple, along with hints of white flowers and orange zest, which carries onto the palate supported by a touch of minerality and bright acidity.  The mouthfeel is full, enveloping and expressive; the finish is long and persistent.  The host was a little surprised at how fruity the wine came off, more than he had recollected from previous tastings.  What is especially notable about the wines of Burgundy, which, with a few exceptions, are produced from just two varietals  (Chardonnay and Pinot Noir), is that the expression of the same grape in the same region can vary widely depending on the particular terroir, appellation, and even vineyard, sometimes referred to as lieu-dit or locality.  This is especially evident in the Chablis we tasted next.  

The Chablis region is the northernmost wine district of the Burgundy region, and because of the somewhat cooler climate, the wines are typically less fruity, more acidic and more minerally, or even "steely" or "flinty". This is why I am especially fond of Chablis (not to be confused with imitations you may have come across growing up years ago when French wine designations were commonly appropriated by unscrupulous wine makers in California and elsewhere).  Chablis is also generally only slightly oaked, if at all.

The 2018 Premier Cru Chablis we sampled was from the Mont-de-Milieu vineyard holding of Vignoble Dampt, another family estate that goes back generations and has earned a special HVE (Haute Valeur Environmentale) certification that recognizes its sustainable farming practices.  I should add that it is a very good value at just $37 a bottle as fine Chablis are often priced much higher.

                                

Once we had our fill of the Puligny-Montrachet and Chablis, we moved next door to the host's abode to begin tasting the red Burgundies, starting with the 2016 Pommard from the Domaine Denis Carré which was established rather recently for Burgundian standards in 1975 and now encompasses 13 hectares over eight appellations.  The estate is managed by Denis' children Marial and Gaetane, and produces 12 different wines from sustainably farmed and hand-harvested vines.

                                    

The Pommard is made from 100% Pinot Noir grapes grown in clay and limestone soil.  Aromas of ripe red cherries and currants dominate in this finely structured and richly textured wine underlined by complex spice notes. For those not familiar with fine Burgundies, what stands out among these highly reputed wines is their depth and complexity that exude layers of aromas, flavors and textures, opening up over a couple of hours to full expression.  I often make the point in my classes that Pinot Noir has the widest spectrum of taste profiles of virtually all varietals, depending on the particular country, region and terroir.  In the Burgundy region, these differences are generally much more nuanced within its particular style, honed to a fine art over centuries of tradition and knowledge of the terroir and wine-making.  Our host was especially exuberant of this Pommard.

The second red Burgundy we sampled to be paired with the grilled rack of lamb was a 2018 Chambolle-Musigny from the Domaine Anne et Hervé Sigault, a small 7-hectare estate in existence for 4 generations where 50-60 year-old vines are hand-harvested in a mix of village and premier cru vineyards.

                                        

Fermented with indigenous yeasts, this ruby-colored, medium-bodied wine features tart berries, red fruit and flowers on the palate with bright acidity and a lingering finish.  This one may have been my favorite of the evening along with the Chablis.  These wines don't come cheap (the Chambolle-Musigny topped out the evening's selections at $70); that's why it's a great idea to share with friends to cover the costs -  and what's better than bringing wine and friends together, especially in these difficult times.

To pair with the scrumptious array of dessert pastries, tarts and chocolates, one of the guests brought along a locally produced ice wine - Vidal Blanc from J. Maki Winery in Elverson, PA

                                

This viscous, sweet - but not too sweet  - dessert wine boasts lovely fresh peach and apricot flavors and can also be paired with fresh fruit and cheese.  Although I had heard of J. Maki winery - I grew up near Elverson, but long before any wineries were established there -, I believe this was the first ice wine of theirs that I had tasted, and I was duly impressed.  Even for those who shun sweet wines, I highly recommend laying aside this prejudice and give a fine ice wine or, a Sauternes-style dessert wine a whirl -  you may be surprised by new flavor sensations!

A hearty thanks goes out to our grand host Carroll, who selected and purchased the wines at the Princeton Corkscrew Wine Shop and prepared the perfectly grilled lamb, along with the accompaniments; Will, who hosted round one at his home for the white wines; Mike, who, brought the J. Make Ice Wine; and last, but not least, Linda and Mary, who moderated the conversation to a civil level.  A delightful time was had by all!