Community Tasting Note

Nedco wrote:

Sunday, June 9, 2013 - Fascinating comparison of the 2010 Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Noir and 2010 Vaudoisey Volnay Clos des Chenes right after a trip to Oregon, with duck for dinner. The Eyrie was more approachable and had more perfume while the Volnay was a little more tannic and closed at first. Eyrie had that classic damp strawberry sweet and sour smell that was pure Willamette while the Volnay had a more focused, angular and darker bing cherry aspect. Eyrie was also much lighter in color. It was voluptuous and instantly satisfying in that American way but perhaps too eager to please, with the fruit leading a little too much despite it's Burgundian aspirations. There was also a little sour burn in the throat at the finish that I didn't identify until I looked at the alcohol levels and saw that the organ was 13.5% while the Volnay was 13%. Hard to believe that 13.5% was overdone when most California wines are so much higher. Next to the Volnay this one almost reminded me of the Hartford I had last week which I used to find elegant but is now beginning to taste like a 16% Zinfandel (It's actual level is around 14.5% I think) after spending time in Oregon and having my taste recalibrated. Also interesting that the Eyrie was lighter and more feminine than the Volnay despite Volnay's reputation as among the most feminine wines in Burgundy. Both of these wines were excellent yet it's instructive that I was comparing the best of Oregon against a relatively unknown Volnay (at least by me; we had simply wandered into the domain while in Burgundy). Both wines were purchased at their respective domains, in person after tasting. Both are built to age with obvious acidity in the Eyrie and a nice blend of acidity in tannin in the Volnay. Yet it was fascinating that even the Eyrie, where the aesthetic is far from the heavy oak and alcohol soup approach from places like Domaine Serene, came across as a little hot and a little flabby.

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