WTN: 2005 Domaine Huguenot Fixin Petits Crais

We took this wine to a restaurant that allows BYO, which is a rarity here in Indiana.

Just after the cork was removed the sommelier said, ‘Wow! Great nose”. The aroma was rich in cherry, licorice, fresh earth and hint of juniper. Just a super Burgundy nose. Silky mouth feel. Dark cherry, leather and initially a bit of a cough syrup taste. The cough syrup evaporated after about 15 minutes in the decanter and the fruit took over. A bit of mouth drying tannin was present which didn’t really detract from the wine at all.

A wonderful Burgundy wine which complemented the braised short ribs and mushrooms very nicely. I have two more of these in the cellar and am anxious to see how they progress over the next several years.

Note: Every time I open a Burgundy my pulse jumps 20 beats a minute. Not out of anticipation, but out of fear over quality, or lack thereof, of the wine in the bottle. Unfortunatley, more often than not it seems that I am disappointed.

Note: Every time I open a Burgundy my pulse jumps 20 beats a minute. Not out of anticipation, but out of fear over quality, or lack thereof, of the wine in the bottle. Unfortunatley, more often than not it seems that I am disappointed.

What producers do you buy? These days there is so much high quality Burgundy available that if you do a bit of homework that shouldn't be an issue.

The bigger concern I find is the elusive and difficult-to-predict shutdown periods. I guess the easiest is to just drink them in the first few years or after 10-20-30. But so many of us want to check in during the in-between phase. Like you did at this dinner, to much success!