2005 Domaine Billard Milliane Bourgnone Pinot Noir Burgundy France. 12.6% alcohol. Chambers Street; $17.99. Imported by Fruit of the Vines, New York City.
Pretty ruby red color, pale hue, forward fruit and spice aroma, very good fruit tastes, some violet and earthen notes, medium mouth feel, well balanced with perhaps a bit too much acidity at the getgo which softened in the glass, medium finish, a sense of rustic velvet, a contradiction, I recognize, but that's my impression. Stuffings to last a long time. 4*. Slight EGA.
A very nice wine with roasted fall vegetables with sauteed mushrooms and eggplant on the side. The firm tannins were a delicious counterpoint to the caramelized vegetables, and the wine echoed the mushroom and forest floor tastes in the dish.
Regards, Bob
Notes:
Chambers Street: The estate of Gabriel Billard does not get much attention stateside but that is better for you this estate makes lovely wines at very reasonable prices. I keep tasting 2005 value Burgundy and thinking I have finally filled my cellar with 2005's and then I taste another one and need some of that. You cannot have enough 2005 Burgundy as the values just keep on coming. The values below $40 are absolutely astounding and is the best "value" vintage I have ever tasted.
Gabriel Billard is a domaine run by two sisters, Mireille Desmonet & Laurence Jobard. Laurence is a very respected enologist at Drouhin. They are based in Pommard and make an amazingly deep, sappy and concentrated one from the "Les Vaumuriens" lieu-dit. But this is about their amazing Bourgogne Rouge from their oldest vines called "Milliane." This wine comes from a ½ hectare parcel in Pommard from vines that are more than 45 years of age. You can taste the old vine intensity in every sip. Billard wines are bright with very pretty fruit and flavors that tend to go more on the dark side. This wine has pretty aromas of pure dark cherries, violets and some mineral earthiness. Do not mistake this wine for an earth driven Burgundy as this is all about layered, intense and high toned fruit. The tannic strucuture is wonderful and comes across like semi-rough velvet. The fruit keeps on pumping throughout the long finish which has a lovely hint of minerals but is overwhelmingly dark berried fruits. This has the ability to age short-term for around 3-5 years but is awfully good right now to drink. I drank this over this past weekend while watching the leaves change and the wine kept improving for three days after it had been opened.
Tony Fletcher: The first night we enjoyed a bottle of 2005 Gabriel Billard Bourgogne Rouge "Milliane" which is from a 1/2 hectare parcel of 45 years and older vines in the town of Pommard proper. Nose of pure red/black fruits, some cooling mineral tones but predominantly bright fruit. Very high toned. The palate is all fruit. That good dense 2005 fruit in spades. The acidity is ample and the tannins are like semi-rough velvet. Really long finish and lots of pop and tang. You are sucking and smacking for minutes after each sip. I loved it. Not that mich finesse but it makes up for it in the sheer enjoyabiliy departament. I bought a couple for the cellar after enjoying it over the next two days. This thing can last. http://rockssandfruit.blogspot.com/
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I see the location is given in the Chambers Street writeup.