Burgundy versus America - Contrasting Styles

For the second tasting I'm hosting, we will be having two Burgundies (a white and a red), a California unoaked Chardonnay, and an Oregon Pinot Noir. With these, we can compare and contrast styles of these wines which, while using the same component grapes (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay), turn out to be very different, a reflection of both their respective Terroir and their winemakers' personal styles.

A prosecco starts us out as people arrive and await the main event.

• NV Adami Prosecco di Treviso Brut Garbèl 89 Points

  Italy, Veneto, Prosecco di Treviso

  Well-balanced, without being overripe or overly sweet, this prosecco carries a bit of the sweeter side of citrus fruit, along with lightly flambeed or toasted heavy cream on a slightly nutty background. The finish is smooth, and while this isn't a wine I'll be talking about for five years, it's great for the price. A crowd pleaser that will also appeal to those who are a bit more serious about their vino.

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And now, onto the Burgundies and the American classics. I chose an unoaked California Chardonnay to more closely match its Burgundian cousin, along with an Oregon Pinot and a Givry.

• 2007 Hendry Chardonnay (Unoaked) 86 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Bright green apple and minerality with some grassiness on the nose; almost chablis-like, but not quite as dry. The palate is medium(-) bodied, with clean sour apple and, again, grassiness and minerality. The finish is hotter than I'd like it to be, and not very long, but all in all this is a decent wine. Wouldn't buy again at >$15, but nonetheless it's a good wine to try if you want to see what Cali chards taste like without all the oak.

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• 2006 Domaine Henri Perrusset Mâcon-Villages 90 Points

  France, Burgundy, Mâconnais, Mâcon-Villages

  WOTN at my tasting on this night. A perfect balance of oak and crispness, this wine carries a rich nose of sweet peaches, a bit of green apple, flowers, and some spice (sage, maybe?). The mouthfeel is rich and full without being overly round or flabby, with a nice intermingling of the same flavors I picked up on the nose. The finish is 10-15 seconds, and though it wasn't one that made me want to sing, it was pretty damn nice.

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• 2006 Cooper Mountain Vineyards Pinot Noir Cooper Hill 84 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley

  Bright and expressive fruitiness on both the nose and palate, though the wine is unbalanced with its striking acidity. I was expecting a bit more complexity on the palate, but this pinot turned out to be more of an average Oregon PN. The finish was all acid, with bright raspberry that made my lips smack with dryness. After an hour or so, the sourness had blown off a bit, but this wine, to me, is still not worth more than one try at any price over $15. Perhaps it would be better after having a couple years to mellow out -- but I don't know if it really has the tannic structure to handle that at this point.

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• 2005 Faiveley Givry Champs Lalot 88 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte Chalonnaise, Givry

  Rich and natural, this wine carries a nose of sweet red berries and a bit of toasted wood; the mouthfeel carries this unctuous nose to fruition (no pun intended) as it brings both more expressive and subtle notes of raspberries and strawberries with a distinct but unqualifiable additional flavor. The acidity is well-balanced. The tannins are soft, but they also have the structure that makes me believe this bottle could be thrown in the cellar for a few years and come back even nicer. 88+

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Another great tasting, though only 15 showed up this time (As oppsed to 30 the first time) - I guess that's what happens when you plan this kind of event during football season. Oh well, at least UGA beat South Carolina despite a sloppy game. That's reason enough for me to celebrate with some vino!