Young Burgundy

I was in an earthy mood last weekend so I made a rabbit and mushroom risotto.  I poached the rabbit lightly, then took the meat off the bones and used the poaching liquid as the stock for the rice.  Another part of the cooking liquid was the water from soaking dried porcini mushrooms.  Once the porcinis were soft I pureed them into a paste with some of the liquid and that got added to the pot as well.  There were also some sauteed, fresh mushrooms in the mix.  At the very end we added the chopped rabbit meat and some pecorino Romano cheese. 

My first option was a Nebbiolo D'Alba , but instead I opened a 2009 Michael Sarrazin & Fils Maranges.  I recently purchased this wine and decided to try it while more was still available in the market.  Good choice.

Lots of earthy aromas in the nose left no doubt this wasn't a new world pinot noir.  It took a couple of minutes for some fruit to begin peaking out of the glass.  Bright cherry flavors overlaying the earthy components, with good, sharp acid and just enough tannin to clear the palate.  Full bodied wine with a delicious and lengthy finish.  Great match with the mushrooms in the risotto, very complimentary tastes.  I picked up two more bottles to put in the cellar.

13% alcohol and $28.