Sometimes, through no fault of its own, a wine just sits there. It's not a comment on its quality or even the quality of the folks selling it. The wine slips out of sight and out of mind. There's a charm to it, and from experience the discovery of those bottles can lead to a wine merchant's fondest vinous recollections. Of course there are all sorts of stock-control systems in place to prevent this, but those are the stuff of mere mythology in certain small wine merchants in North-East Fife.
I didn't expect this to be one of those fond memories. A small glance through the archives of this blog will show my deep suspicion of the 2003 vintage in Europe. I feel I'm justified with this view. But dogma is a terrible thing in wine, and there are no absolutes. I'm happy to say that this was an exception.
Quite a rich gold and yellow - mature, but not over the hill looking.
Quite buttery, toasty and tropical nose. Mangoes & pineapples. Sweet lemon.
Intense butter soaked pineapple on the palate, with waxed candied lemon peel and mouth-filling, rich, toasted biscuits and brioche. I'm surprised at the balance, considering the year. Puts to shame a 1er Cru Chassagne-Montrachet '03 tried yesterday that had no life, only flab. Still too pricey, perhaps, but decadent, balanced and reflecting of its vintage without being rubbish.
****
Tasted 15/06/2011
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