Philly Wine Finder

Domaine Faiveley Mercurey Burgundy 2006 and Tortellini and Broccoli

 We had this 1 day after having the full bodied J. M. Fuentes Gran Clos Priorat. so this felt jarringly thin and light. Not as silky as Michel-Andreotti, and probably not as good a value as Toasted Head.

Still, a decent match for this tortellini and broccoli. Here's the recipe.

4 medium cloves garlic, sliced into matchsticks
about 3 cups fresh broccoli florets (frozen is too mushy)
olive oil
about 2 cups or so of chicken broth (use a better packaged broth like Wolfgang Puck, not the canned kind)
Packaged refrigerated tortellini, ours was Buitoni Chicken and Prosciutto Tortelloni
Grated parmesan cheese

Cook the tortellini according to package directions and then drain.

While the tortellini cooks, heat a 10" pan, add the olive oil and garlic, and saute for about 2 minutes. Add the broccoli and toss it around in the olive oil to coat, about another 2 minutes. Then add enough chicken broth to a depth of about 1 inch in the pan, cover, and bring to a simmer. Simmer just long enough to cook the broccoli to crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.

Serve the tortellini in pasta bowls, spooning the broccoli and a generous portion of broth mixture over it. Sprinkle with grated cheese.

 

Domaine Faiveley Mercurey Burgundy 2006
Chairman's Selection
PLCB Code: 32126
Size: 750ML
Price: $14.99

 

Domaine Michel-Andreotti Bourgogne Vieilles Vignes 2009

This is it right here, classic Pinot Noir from Burgundy. We're tempted to say this is how it's supposed to taste, but let's just say this is how we like it: silky, elegant, red raspberries, a little tart. Will go with almost any food. When you drink this you can't help but say, MMMM!

Jancis is reporting that some California Pinot producers are starting to move in this direction. One can only hope.

We're looking forward to comparing this to 2006 Faiveley Mercurey, a current Chairman's Selection, and would love to compare it side by side to Toasted Head.

2009 Domaine Michel-Andreotti Bourgogne Vieilles Vignes
Type    Red
Producer    Domaine Michel-Andreotti
Variety    Pinot Noir
Designation    Vieilles Vignes
Vineyard    n/a
Country    France
Region    Burgundy
SubRegion    Côte Chalonnaise
Appellation    Bourgogne

12.8% Alcohol
$13.96

 

Louis Latour Santenay 2007

We're not recommending you pair this Pinot Noir from Côte de Beaune with tacos like we did, but if you like French Burgundy this wine is a winner.

Ruby color, beautiful nose of dusty cherry, very clean and silky. It took a lot of willpower not to finish the bottle.

Available at 19th and Chestnut, 12th and Chestnut, Society Hill, and throughout Eastern PA.

Louis Latour Santenay 2007
Chairman's Selection
PLCB Code: 32041
Size: 750ML
Price: $15.99

PAWineTalk

Region:    France > Burgundy > Côte de Beaune > Santenay
Grape Variety:     Pinot Noir
Alcohol Content:    13.5%

California Pinot and French Burgundy

We bought Londer Pinot Noir from the PA State Store on the strength of some of the recommendations on PAWineTalk. Among wine geeks, it's generally accepted that it is difficult to find good Pinot Noir for $15 or less, so we are always looking for good Pinot at this price point. We didn't find it.

Londer tasted pretty much like all the other US Pinots we've had. Our tasting notes say, "raw, edgy, hot/high alcohol, smoky, forest fire, sour raspberries, strong." If you like this domestic style of Pinot Noir, you may like Londer, as many folks on PAWineTalk did. If you prefer the French style, read on.

We compared the Londer side-by-side to Domaine Poulleau Père & Fils Côte de Beaune Les Mondes Rondes. We know, that's a lot of foreign looking names all next to each other. Don't be scared, it's just 100% Pinot Noir from France--they call it Burgundy. But very big difference in taste.  Our tasting notes say, "pleasant, fresh, clean, not complex, bright fruit, light, delicate."

Can you tell which one we liked better? We thought the Londer might improve by having it with some food, but the opposite occurred: the Poulleau got better, and the Londer seemed to get worse.

This was a very useful exercise for us, it really brought some clarity to our preferences for  these different expressions of Pinot Noir. While the French stuff may be hard to find, we are smitten, and we may not be buying any more California Pinot for quite a while.

Londer Vineyards Pinot Noir Anderson Valley 2007
Chairman's Selection^TM
Description from PLCB web site
PLCB Code: 13585
Size: 750ML
Price: $14.99
PAWineTalk
CellarTracker

2008 Domaine Poulleau (Pere et Fils) Cote de Beaune “Les Mondes Rondes” - $13.99

CellarTracker

"If you enjoy the freshness, nuance and mineral-driven persona that only comes from Pinot Noir rooted in the Cote d’Or, this wonderful example is not only a breath of fresh air, it’s a revelation of sorts.  A multi-award winner, (I believe this won the gold or silver medal at Macon, which is one of the most competitive shows for Burgundy) Domaine Poulleau’s Cote de Beaune “Les Mondes Rondes” delivers a terroir-filled, classic expression of the grape for a pittance of a price (although it’s normally $25 or more, so I should discuss the wine in the context of that price)....
While today’s offer is not for those that lean toward sappy, 14.5-15.5% domestic Pinot Noir, it is for everyone else."
NO SALES TO RETAILERS OR WHOLESALERS
Jon Rimmerman
Garagiste

 

 

Wine Review Joseph Drouhin Cote de Beaune Villages 2007

The main difference between the California Mumm Napa Pinot Noir we had the other night and this Joseph Drouhin Pinot Noir from Cote de Beaune is the Napa has a smoky flavor on the end while the Drouhin does not.  They are both very good, we loved the color and the mouthfeel.  After awhile we find the smoky flavor distracting so in the end we preferred the Drouhin, but it's a matter of personal preference and whether you want to shell out the extra $5 for the Drouhin.   The reviews on PAWineTalk are dead on. This wine is available at the Society Hill store (although we asked them for it and they said they were all out. They're not, it's in the corner. Bring the PLCB code #16005 just to be sure.)

Joseph Drouhin Cote de Beaune Villages 2007

Chairman's Selection^TM
Description from PLCB web site
Learn more about this wine at the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
PLCB Code: 16005
Size: 750ML
Price: $14.99
CellarTracker