Dark ruby in the glass, with nice bouquet of earth, ripe fruit, and a bit of vanilla. Some spice. This isn’t reserved or austere like some Taillepieds, but also isn’t particularly complex. Nice acidity and freshness, but a bit of oak. The tannins aren’t obstrusive, nor are they particularly elegant. Finish is nice. This is a pretty, drinkable wine, that is pleasurable; once the oak integrates a bit more it will probably be better and will still have nice fruit, but this doesn’t have the lovely aromatics, complexity or elegance of great Volnay. It’s also sort of glossy. At the $50 price point, though, it’s quite nice and drinking pretty well now. I’ll check back on it later in the evening and tomorrow. Anyone have experience with this cuvee with age?
Some CT notes said this wasn’t particularly recognizable as Pinot which I don’t agree with. Blinded, I could easily call this an Oregon or Central Coast Pinot, though. There’s nothing about it that really would lead me in the direction of Taillepieds.
I think the wine’s generous nature is a partly a result of the vintage. Older vintages were less forward. I like the '09 even if it was a little showy, but I haven’t opened a bottle in years. At that point, it was starting to shut down.
Tonight was basically a redux of yesterday. The wine is pretty, and tasty, but not particularly special. My wife asked me if it was Italian; she has an excellent palate but this wine lacks typicity and is not very representative of terroir. I’ll probsvlt pour the other bottles with non wine people or on weeknights because it’s a very nice drink, just not thought provoking or elegant. Will time make it better? Idk, but I have doubts.
I bought a few of the 09 Bouchards from Volnay and found them all quite ripe and just crossing the line with the oak. They always walk a fine line between ripeness and oaky, but I usually enjoy the wines. 09 is a bit of an exception.
Yeah basically what I thought too, it’s a nice wine though, just not really what I’m looking for in burg. Might give some as gifts to some of my kb loving friends.