Winery: Marc Colin

Vintage: 2004

Appellation: Santenay

Varietal: 100% Pinot Noir

Winemaker: Marc Colin

Average Price: $ 36 .00

Tasting notes: This a really interesting and delicious wine. Starting with its light and clear ruby color and a tiny bit of shininess. The nose tends to be complex after being open for a while. All those fruit (mostly black) scents coming right to your nose, as blackberry, ripped black cherry and cranberry. There is also a inch of oak balancing the nose and once you bring this wine to your palate it’s an explosion of flavours. Medium tannin and medium body, this wine is balanced. A rustic style to it, with a lot of fruits flavours (which are the same as the nose), but I think the earthiness of this wine and its high acidity make it simply beautiful and delicious. And even better because its length a little while too.

Food Pairing suggestions: As I said this wine is having a high acidity and is a bit earthy, which is something great when it comes to pair wine with food. My suggestion for dinner to accompany this Santenay will certainly start with a chilled green asparagus salad prepared with some extra virgin olive oil and mustard dressing. I would follow by a “Coq au Vin” (long time braised chicken in a red wine sauce with some aromatic onions and bacon) served with some grilled vegetables. And for the gourmet the best part: the dessert – I would finish this dinner with a creme brulee – as simple as that but still delicious.

This is a really good wine,  authentic wine, a Sit-down Bottle .

Winery: Chapoutier

Vintage: 1999

Region: Cote Rotie

Designation: La Mordoree

Varietal: Syrah

Average Price: $170

I had given up on finding great Pinot Noirs in Argentina. At least I never really found the style that I personally like (smooth structure, earthy silky mouthfeel with aromas of strawberry style, lush but still complex, not missing the freshness),  so here is the absolute exception, so excited about it!!

Brand: Mudai

Winery: Palo Alto

Vintage: 2006

Varietal: 100% Pinot Noir

Wearing my favorite Operation Iraqi Freedom Veteran T-shirt, I find my self staring down at two glasses of deep ruby red wine. A battle in itself was about to ensue. The 2000 Chateau Margaux vs. 2000 Chateau Latour in a battle to the death, or should I say digestion! I learned a lot about these wines while tasting them over a one hour period. My initial thoughts were that the Latour was much more impressive and dense, and I felt that the Margaux was a bit lack luster on the palate but showed impressive aromatics. Over the next hour both wines saw improvement with the Margaux gaining ground on the Latour. The Margaux began to really show it true colors, this is a wine about aroma and flavor, there were layers of complex aromatics and tons of fantastic tastes to discover on the palate. There is a certain grace to Margaux that I don’t believe is matched by anyone else. The Latour stayed true to its pauillac Cabernet roots. This wine was dense and full of classic Cabernet backbone. The structure and quality of fruit were impressive to say the least. The Chateau Latour made a clear statement of pedigree and position among the greatest in Bordeaux and quite possibly the world. These wines do require a lot of thought to get the most out of them but I find that an equal amount of humor is required too. I was happy to be enjoying such wonderful wines and made it a point to laugh, enjoy, and relax to better savor the moment. Grand wines deserve adoration but it’s important to remember that having fun with it is just as much apart of the enjoyment of wine as tasting. Notes to follow:

Winery: Mugnier

Vintage: 2005

Grand Cru: Musigny

Varietal: 100% Pinot Noir

Average Price: $1400

Tasting Notes: Considered by many to be the wine of the vintage (knowing how great the 2005 vintage was that’s saying a lot) the 2005 Mugnier Musigny is the greatest wine I have tasted this year by far, and is a candidate for greatest of all time. I have a feeling that if I taste this wine in 20 years it may take the “best ever” slot. My notes are as follows: The nose releases pure and beautiful aromas of black raspberry and black cherry with a lovely rose pedal and crushed mineral aspect. Hints of fine vanilla and cinnamon complete a unified and seducing bouquet. The palate is stunning to say the least. There is so much power in this wine yet a wonderful elegance as well. Succulent and ripe yet firmly structured with a ridiculously long and complex finish I’m in heaven…pure heaven…

Rating: 5 of 5 (Special occasion wine, sit down wine)

Cellaring: I would drink this at the earliest 2024, this wine will taste fantastic for 30+ years if cellared properly.