I am a fan of Girardin wines, but have to admit that when I saw this bottle at an Uncorked Events tasting at Club Sportiva in downtown San Francisco -- I was not optimistic. This bottling seems to be packaged to compete with Australian and American lower-priced offerings (it's rare to find any Burgundy under $25 these days). The use of the words "Terroir" and "Pinot Noir" (a no-no in Burgundy) really led me to believe that this bottling was a mix-mash of left-over fruit from village wines up and down the Cote d'Or.
2005 was a phenomonal growing year however, and even these lower pedigreed bottlings are drinking extremely well. This wine is a Russian River Valley clone -- showing high acid, distinct red and black fruit flavors, and good balance. It is a serious competitor to New World pinot noirs (and designed to be buyer-friendly in the New World markets).
$25; 89 points
Bottom Line: An example of how the French are changing to address the evolving world wine market.
Comments