Product Review
The 2009 Morey St. Denis Cuvee des Alouettes is hard to evaluate. Both barrels I tasted presented woody, rough tannins that marred much of the purity of the fruit. Perhaps the wine is in an awkward stage, but today it is not showing well. The Cuvee des Alouettes is made from vines in Monts Luisants. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2029.
Pinot Noir is responsible for some of the world’s finest wines. Famed for producing the red wines of Burgundy and the Côte d’Or in particular, it is now widely grown in cool climates across Califonia and Oregon, and with increasing success in New Zealand. Although typically used to produce varietal wines, Pinot Noir makes a significant contribution in the wines of Champagne, where it is vinified as a white wine and blended with Cardonnay and Pinot Meunier. On the whole, fresh summer fruit of strawberries, raspberries and red cherries tend to be the identifying qualities, however richer versions express darker fruit including black cherries (kirsch), cherry cola, leather and violets to name a few.
Two hundred miles south east of Paris lies the famous and historic wine region, known in French as Bourgogne. The Cote d'Or, the heartland of the region, consists of two distinct sub-regions split on either side of the town of Beaune.The Côte de Nuits to the north, includes the famous villages of Vosne-Romanee, Gevrey-Chambertin, and Nuits-Saint-Georges and are known primarily for making red wine from Pinot Noir.Although The Côte de Beaune to the south still makes some magnificent reds (see Volnay and Pommard), white wine made from Chardonnay is the main focus. The most famous villages are Puligny-Montrachet and Meursault. Burgundy has three other important regions. The village of Chablis (exclusively Chardonnay) encompassing the region's most northerly vineyards. The Côte Chalonnaise and Mâconnais to south are quantitatively speaking more important. Agriculture is more diverse with a significant portion of the land devoted to livestock and arable farming.
Despite having four grand crus - five if you include the small portion of Bonnes-Mares - the small appellation of Morey-Saint-Denis has historically been overlooked in favor of its neighbors - Gevrey-Chambertin and Chambolle-Musigny. From north to south, its grand crus are: Clos de la Roche, Clos Saint-Denis, Clos des Lamnbrays, and Clos de Tart, totalling 40 hectares in area under vines, which at their best, are every bit as impressive as the Cote de Nuit’s other great vineyards. Most of the commune’s twenty premier crus lie just below the grand crus and uncommonly account for less area, with just 33 hectares. Although the commune is predominantly planted with Pinot Noir, there are some Chardonnay and even Pinot Blanc vines across the hillside with some interesting examples coming from premier cru Les Blanchards and Monts Luisants to name a few.
Red wine is wine made from dark-coloured grape varieties. The color of red differs based on the grapes variety or varieties used.Interestingly, black grapes yield a juice that is greenish-white. The actual red color comes from anthocyan pigments (also called anthocyanins) from the skin of the grape (exceptions are the relatively uncommon teinturier varieties, which produce a red colored juice). Most of the production centers around the extraction of color and flavor from the grape skin.
