by Covert » Fri May 04, 2012 11:18 am
I drank a bottle last night of the lesser, simply Auxey-Duresses appellation, 2009 Domaine Taupenot-Merme and was surprised and impressed. It had a wonderful sauvage base with delightful perfumy overtones and a taste of pinot noir purity – to me, meaning without a cherry candy attitude. It also showed good acidity. I could immediately relate the aroma to a French brothel, although I have not been in one. And in keeping with the metaphor, over the course of the bottle, an additional aroma of sweat, or maybe wet horse, developed, somewhat muddling the erstwhile sense of purity. This muskiness wasn’t the most appealing aspect of the wine, but made for interest and continuity, as though you lingered in the brothel too long, perhaps until morning. I look forward to trying other Burgundies from the Auxey-Duresses appellation. A friend from Burgundy told me that the A-D’s still offered sauvage, if with some rusticity, unlike many Burgundies I have tried over the last few years which seemed to possess character more similar to New World Pinot than the Burgs of old I to which I was first introduced. My friend said partly because most people don’t like the earth and rusticity, A-D bottles are unusually inexpensive, this one barely over $20. I have been missing the earthy qualities I used to associate with Burgundy and might have found a way to go back in time in both style and cost.
