Monday, March 2, 2009

Leflaiverless

My default to date seems favor the celebration of the spectacular and the intriguing. So fair being fair, and as Rick Moranis clearly tells us in Spaceballs: "there's two sides to every Schwartz," I think it's only prudent to introduce this Pinot Noir.

Olivier Leflaive Cuvée Margot 2006 - Burgundy

This one's from Burgundy, which means pinot noir, and it's from the Cote de Beaune (which is cluster number 2/5 from north to south as you travel down the Saône River).

Let the drums of war sound, but I think this wine sucks balls (pardon my French, but I do choose my words very carefully here). Actually, maybe I haven't chosen my words carefully enough, because if at least it *smelled* like balls, we'd be closer to the character of north Burgundy that I love: that deft balance of tender and sedate fruit with the subtle musk of earth-driven truffle and barnyard animal petting-zoo funk. Ok, YES I was fooled by the cherry and wild strawberry on the nose, but when this wine hits your mouth, the fruit on this '06 is like the four-headed man-eating haddock fish-beast of Aberdeen: it doesn't exist.

What I'm left with is tannin, acid, and a long leathery finish. Someone left the tea bag in too long. At least it's not flabby pinot, I guess, but then what's worse- Donatella Versace when she's on the beach or after she's been all pinned up? You decide.













My advice on this is to cut up some fruit, throw some ice cubes into a carafe, and make Sangria. I'm sure Margot, Olivier's daughter, would certainly agree that this wine is about as useful as a pack of one-legged hunting tortoises.

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