I don’t know about you, but one thing that gets tired for me on the road is eating at restaurants - especially after a long day of tastings and driving. Our house in Coberon, 12 km east of Beaune, had an adequate kitchen, so I volunteered to cook my short-cut coq au vin for our crew of seven on Friday night. Jardin de Ramparts on Wednesday, Ma Cuisine on Thursday, Jadot looming on Saturday - Friday night was perfect to make a fire in the fireplace of our 17th century temporary home and cook. Along the way, we tasted (with brief impressions):
2007 Drouhin St. Romain - A lesser appellation within Burgundy, still a good example of chardonnay. As a rough generalization, in style somewhere between chablis and other Cote D’or whites. Nice acidity, but a little softness too.
2007 Drouhin Clos des Mouches Blanc - Much bigger in style than the St. Romain, floral elements on the nose, along with wet stones. Well-balanced with great length on the palate. Quite good.
2006 Monthelie, Hospice de Beaune Cuvee Lebelin - Very appealing wine from the district just south of Volnay. Not dissimilar in style to Volnay but perhaps without the same potential for longevity. Nonetheless appealing at the price point. This was purchased in a supermarket outside Beaune, along with dinner provisions.
2002 Volnay 1er cru, Hospice de Beaune Cuvee General Muteau - First of three '02s served with the coq au vin. Consistent with prior experience, a lot of '02s are beginning to drink very well. A little darker fruit and more spiciness than I expected, this was a pretty masculine Volnay.
2002 Bouchard Clos Vougeot - The Muteau was a nice wine but this was, not unexpectedly, a big jump up in class. Dark fruits of tremendous intensity and spiciness, a good underpinning of structure and just-developing complexity, the wine was young, but not too much so. Opening up very nicely, with great length of finish.
2002 Drouhin Echezeaux - Another winner. Nice “sappiness” to the fruit, with a well-balanced structure. A nice blend of dark fruit and earthiness on the palate. Very, very nice.
2007 Fevre Chablis, 1er cru, Fourchaume - the closer with cheese and bread. Nice bracing acidity and minerality to the wine. I was tired and it was getting late, but it did a good job of refreshing the palate and spirit.