2002 Vincent Girardin Bourgogne
Cuvée Saint-Vincent
Côte d’Or, France
$16.99
www.vincentgirardin.com

I know that having great expectations only sets you up for great disappointments, but I will admit that I opened this bottle with more than the ordinary amount of anticipation. Not, mind you, for its lowly appellation, but rather for the great reputation of its producer. I have had other Girardin wines (most recently an incredible Pommard Premier Cru) that have been REAL good. Sadly, I can not say the same for this disappointment.

My experience with Girardin’s wines has shown me that they benefit greatly from aeration and I don’t mean a few minutes of glass swirling either. I mean an hour or more of serious-in-a-decanter kind of aeration; these wines need to stretch their legs a bit.

Girardin’s Bourgogne Rouge is a deep and rich ruby, nearly plum-purple in the glass. In the nose, Cuvee Saint-Vincent is very straight forward black cherry fruit, almost juicy with an underlying “Brett” character that added some aromatic interest. I must admit that to find a wine making flaw, such as Brettanomyces, to be the only interesting aromatic quality of a wine is not saying much. It was not excessive in this wine but present all the same. The oak which it did present was very subtle, of high quality and in the background. Yet, in the end, the wine was real simple to the nose.

Cuvee Saint-Vincent was very disappointing on the palate! This wine is terribly out of balance favoring tart acidity at the expense of fruit extract and mouthfeel. To say this wine is lean is an understatement! This wine is way too acidic for the degree of fruit that it offers.

Ultimately, this wine offered no depth, fruit or real aromatic nuance. One’s left asking what was on offer from this wine. I guess even respected producers can falter and who knows, maybe I am being unduly hard on this wine considering its price point, but I do believe there is better for similar money (see my review Beautifully Simple). In the end, I learned that when searching for really great wines from Girardin (truly one of the better producers in Burgundy) I will pony up the money necessary to make greatness happen! This wine, however, I can not recommend.

2003 Angeline Pinot Noir
Santa Barbara County
Martin Ray Winery
$12.00
www.martinray-winery.com

Another well made inexpensive pinot that I found uninspiring. To be honest, I was on the fence about this one for the duration of its drinking. The pinot fruit successfully avoids the common pitfalls suffered by so many domestic PNs at this price point, but it is too cloying and a bit astringent in it’s finish to be enjoyed for more than a single glass.

2003 Angeline Pinot Noir has a deep transparent, ruby and very fresh complexion, akin to lean merlot, while her nose showcases ripe pinot fruit. The wine needed some aeration to blow off a little excess sulfur from the first pour to the last. The aromatic nuance that it does offer is due to pretty good oak integration (some vanilla, dust and masculine spice) but its nose is straightforward in the fruit department: black cherry and raspberry preserves. Definitely not a wine that rewards with layers of aromatic depth.

Therefore, I approached this wine with hopes that its palate would be finely balanced along a smooth textured-fruit and lean acidic beam. I found this wine to be too full and cloying in rich fruit extract, lacking the grip necessary to carry its full frame, and although the wine finishes with some acidity, it seemed astringent to this taster.

If you search for a wine that offers jammy textures and some quenching acidity this wine would be acceptable. While certainly a well-made wine I believe this pinot appeals most to those who prefer a wine which is in the middle of the road: traveling somewhere between big oak and extract and aromatic nuance and traditional winemaking. Perhaps this is mass-produced pinot at its best but I believe there are many other wines far more interesting for similar money. Therefore, I can not recommend this wine.

1999 Clos de la Belle Marguerite
Cote de Nuits-Villages
Domaine SIRUGUE Jean-Louis et Fils
$11.99 (discounted $4.00/bottle)
www.laboure-roi.com

What an honest and satisfying wine at a bargain basement price: Clos de la Belle Marguerite is outstanding everyday Burgundy. Think of her as “Grand Cru-Lite”. Indeed, I have had many Premier Crus that can’t hold a candle to this wine at thrice the price.

The wine opens, after much needed aeration, with wonderful soft aromas of red fruits. Bright strawberry, raspberry, tart cranberry and red cherry flavors are all fresh in perspective. From this backdrop emerge acacia, fennel, smoke and cedar, some forest floor and a hint of Brettanomyces. This wine offers wonderful, restrained aromatic complexity and with her absence of alcohol sting, the nose was invited to inhale deeply.

Marguerite’s palate is very light weight and lean in texture. Her generosity of aroma is only slighted by her reticence in mouthfeel: this wine is not silky in the mouth. Yet, this shortcoming should be excused when Marguerite’s cleansing acidity is considered. This wine is built on a solid structure and is food wine at its best. In fact, this wine comes alive with food, showcasing aromatic complexity and refreshing acidity throughout a meal.

This is traditional pinot noir and outstanding Burgundy for the money: beautifully simple. Highly recommended!