2005 Edmond Cornu Bourgogne 'Les Barrigards'

Importer: Rosenthal

Source: Viscount

Consumption Date: 2/18/2013

Notes: Fine aroma of flowers (roses?), dark cherry fruit, and wet stone.  Full bodied with plenty of deep, dark cherry and blackberry fruit as well as a rich earthiness and hints of dry wood/forest floor.   Long finish of fruit, earth, and wood.

Although from a humble appellation, this wine has all of the basic qualities that I enjoy about Burgundy (especially deep fruit and earthy flavors).  It lacks typical Burgundy funk and falls short in complexity, but considering its origins and its price, this wine is quite enjoyable and a pleasant surprise.

Value: Good to very good

2006 Macari Sauvignon Blanc 'Katherine's Vineyard' (North Fork of Long Island)

Source: Viscount

Consumption Date: 2/1/2013

Notes: Sharp aroma of sweet lemon fruit with hints of grass and herbs.  Moderate body of tart fruit (mostly lemon with a hint of white grape and perhaps gooseberry) develops into a surprisingly chalky minerality with hints of herbs and grass.  Short mineral finish with a hint of fresh wood.

This wine has been a pleasant surprise, as based on its age and appellation, my expectations were not especially high.  However, this wine displays many of the characteristics I enjoy in white wine (even if the profile is not strictly what I expect from Sauvignon Blanc).  While I found the minerality to be almost shocking, it is one of the traits in white wine that I really enjoy.  The level of complexity in this wine was also a pleasant surprise.  Although this wine does not display any obvious age, I wonder what it would have tasted like a few years younger.  This wine makes my decision to be more aggressive in my pursuit of locavory a bit easier on the wine front.

Value: Very good.