Bourgueil and excellent rosé

Vin rouge with Centerba crew

2007 Alice et Olivier De Moor Bourgogne-Chitry
2008 Alice et Olivier De Moor Bourgogne-Chitry
This was surprising because I expected the 2007 to show more richness than the 2008 and it was the opposite. Calling either one big would be a mistake, but in comparison, the 2008 seemed fatter and plumper.

2007 Éric Texier Condrieu Janrode
Still showed well, but I would drink sooner rather than later. Eric is making the best expressions of viognier for my palate. This is not oily or glommy in the mouth and has beautiful floral notes on the nose instead of all that richness and lychee crap.

2002 Catherine et Pierre Breton Bourgueil Clos Sénéchal
I’ve always loved the 2002 Breton wines for their dashing, rapier-like personalities. This comes in at something like 11.7% alcohol and has an unmistakeable mineral tang to the blue and red fruits. The finishing tannin have a chalky quality to them, but in a good way. This is starting to loosen and I think will be in a window for a while. I’ll probably drink my other 6 bottles in as many years.

1996 Pierre-Jacques Druet Bourgueil Vaumoreau
Druet’s best site and it shows. Still some fruit left at the core and still has enough structure that there is some grip, this has matured into a fine example of Bourgueil.

2009 Domaine Brana Irouléguy Harri Gorri
A pale salmon rose, the nose is somewhat brambly and jumps at me right away. I like the briskness with a hint of tannin. I take it that this is a blend of cabernet franc and tannat and it has a bark-like spiciness to it. This was the first time I’ve had this so far this year, but it won’t be the last. One of the best rosé wines I’ve had this year.