Today’s wine for the weekend – the 1997 Remoissenet Père & Fils Renommée Bourgogne Blanc – is not something I expect everyone to run out and grab. Instead, I chose something both off the beaten path for most people and something that may seem a little pricey (even though it is a great deal for what it is). What I’m talking about is an aged white Burgundy. For those who don’t know white wine from Burgundy is made (mostly) with Chardonnay. Now, don’t go thinking this is the kind of Chardonnay you have gotten used to tasting with those big butter and tropical flavours. Burgundy doesn’t really go there, and, when you add 13 years of age to a bottle you aren’t even in the same room as new world Chardonnay. So here we have a 13 year old bottle made from fruit that has been ‘declassified’ from fancier (i.e. more famous, better quality fruit, etc.) vineyards and put into this ‘basic’ bottling.
When you pour this into your glass you will notice quite a different colour than you are probably used to for white wine – a dark golden brown rich and deep hue. And the first sniff? Here’s where things get interesting. This has a very subtle nose with mineral and soy aromas. When you taste this wine the first thing you will notice is that it is very very savory for a Chardonnay, and almost a little oxydized tasting. This is the result of age. As wine ages its fruit disappears a bit and flavours imparted by the bottle start to appear. Here I found more soy notes, herbs, and a nice saltiness.
This is old school wine and it will be a challenge for the unitiated palate. But, it is also an adventure. Try it with truffles, or a white sauce with fish and pasta. I guarantee you haven’t tasted a Chardonnay like this before. And the price? Well let’s say that it’s 1/2 of what you can expect to pay for most old white Burgundies. Splurge and get this to celebrate the end of the Olympics.
$36 at Kitsilano Wine Cellars
*Shea Coulson is the author of Justgrapeswine.com, a Vancouver based wine blog focusing on wine and beer reviews, education, and wine industry trends and developments.
Last modified: February 26, 2010
