Questions of hierarchy and quality vex me when it comes to wine. Not because I don't believe some wines are absolutely better than others, but because I reject a view of wine on these terms when it comes to my own consumption. For example, I enjoy drinking across vintages, good and bad, because variation and drama captivate me. Absolute quality represents just one dimension of many on this view.
I'm prompted to wonder about such things on a Friday evening because I'm drinking what one might describe as an unremarkable wine, and yet am enjoying it a great deal. This happens to me a lot. Equally, I've tasted some beautiful, quality wines that I've totally failed to grasp from an enjoyment point of view. This isn't an attempt to be reductive, and I'm not of the "I don't know wine, but I know what I like" camp. It's more that beauty, enjoyment, character -- all the factors that are a major part of why I love wine -- are proving to be more complex and elusive the longer I think about them.
The wine responsible for these ramblings is a 2006 Bourgogne Rouge from a producer based in Marsannay. Fairly humble provenance. I wasn't especially impressed when I first poured this wine, as it came across thin, lacking in expressiveness and a bit harsh. Give it time, though. By the end of the evening, the aroma profile had developed to show dark berry fruit, tart bitterness reminiscent of blood orange, sous-bois and a bit of chocolatey oak too. Each element jostles for attention to an extent, but charmingly so, evoking a rambunctious lunch rather than a heated argument.
On the palate, clean with light to medium weight and a predominantly savoury flavour profile. The entry is whisked along by tart, prominent acid that overwhelms at first. As with the nose, the palate initially seemed dilute, but the evening brought with it greater weight, creating a better sense of balance. It seems to move through the mouth at quite a clip, feeling focused and purposeful. Tart and fresh, the flavour profile is unexpectedly complex. Dark berries, bitter citrus and sweet oak combine to create an appealingly rustic character. The wine loses some body towards the back palate, where lumpy, rough tannins creep in from the edges. Slightly hard on the finish, but nicely textured.
No great sophistication or elegance, only moderately intense (though time ameliorates this to an extent), cheerful rather than witty. I can't think of a wine I'd rather be drinking tonight.
Domaine Bart
Price: $A25.50
Closure: Cork
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