2009 Domaine Marquis D'Angerville Volnay 1er Cru "Champans"--Too Legit to Quit

Burgundys are designed to spend some time in the cellar. Ask a Frenchman when he'll drink that premier cru burgundy in his cellar and he'll likely say "at my son's wedding."  His son is ten. You get the picture.

So it seemed a bit like infanticide to open a bottle of 2009 Domaine Marquis D'Angerville 1er cru Volnay at a recent tasting at Bern's Fine Wines and Spirits in Tampa but that is exactly what we did.

And it was delightful. The nose was intense, floral on top with dark red fruit and spice on the second whiff. Round and well-balanced on the palate with layers of ripe fruit and mineral and an incredible 40+ second finish.

This is a beautifully crafted wine, notable for the "hands off" approach this producer has adhered to in the making of this wine--biodynamic farming, cold maceration, no punchdowns, gentle extraction, and minimal new oak. 

Robert Parker gave a 95 point score for this Premier Cru wine and I suspect they didn't have to bring out the dancing girls to get it. Drink it now or wait until 2039. No wedding required.

2009 Rust En Vrede Cabernet Sauvignon

My local wine retailer in Tampa, Florida occasionally scores some amazing deals from their distributors and passes the savings onto their customers. One recent deal was the 2009 Rust En Vrede Cabernet Sauvignon, which was offered at an amazing price of $10.99.

I had visited this vineyard back in 2005 and was extremely impressed with their portfolio of new world red wines, so I bought two bottles, thinking unless it's cooked how bad can it be?

Not bad at all. In fact, quite exceptional for this bargain price point. I consumed both bottles over two weeks, pairing them with grilled lamb sliders and beef ribeye. In both I noted loam and dark fruit on the nose and the scent of the Stellenbosch cellar it came from. The palate was mouth coating, a bit jammy, with discernable but balanced oak. And the finish long, with hints of fig and vanilla.

Wine Spectator gave this wine a rating of 92/100. Drink Now or Hold. I concur. Don't expect to get it at this price, however, as I have bought out the stock in Tampa, FL but you can find it on-line from US $27-29. Very good at that price point too.