Nuits Saint George

The simple burgundy from last week whetted my appetite for something more substantial from that area.  That something turned out to be a 2005 Jean-Claude Boisset, Nuits Saint Georges, Premier Cru Chaines Carteaux.   The wine was much darker in the glass than the simple Faiveley bourgogne that spawned the desire for something more substantial.  Very good nose of dark red and blue fruits, some spicy earth overtones and a bit of squeaky clean leather.  The first sip was tart and a little tannic so I put the wine aside and fixed dinner, about a 45 minute project.

After time to breathe in the glass the fruit came more to the front in the wine.  There was a touch of red cherry, but a good does of medium dark cherries and the sense of clean earth.  The more I swirled the better the wine became.  Medium to full bodied, certainly not the biggest wine, but a well balanced wine with good tannin, great acid and a good finish just made me smile with its length.

Dinner was a spice rubbed, pan seared duck breast and a risotto of porcini mushrooms and roasted buttercup squash.  This was a great match for the wine as they each improved the other.  The fruit in the wine was great with the duck, as was the acid.  The earthiness in the wine highlighted the mushrooms and the squash.  Life can be very good - and tasty.

There is one more bottle in the cellar.

2005 Jean Claude Boisset, Nuits Saint Georges, Chaines Carteaux.  13% alcohol and $50.