WTN: 2011 Grosjean Valle D'Aoste Pinot Noir

13.0% abv. Neal Rosenthal, Importer.

from the "French part of Italy" near the Alps. 2500' elevation.

"Typical" Rosenthal wine (not complaining at all, just acknowledging). Popped and poured and showed quite a bit of reductive funkiness (which online reviews note). With time in the decanter, this showed a ton of dark, plum and cherry fruit with the earthiness and that funky edge.

This wine was a surprise to me. I expected a much leaner, even acidic style of Pinot. Instead, we saw dark fruit....tons of fruit. This could have been a balanced Russian River Valley or Oregon Pinot! The reductive funk might not be as common in those New World areas, but.

We have half a bottle corked for revisiting tonight.

13.0% abv. Neal Rosenthal, Importer.

from the "French part of Italy" near the Alps. 2500' elevation.

"Typical" Rosenthal wine (not complaining at all, just acknowledging). Popped and poured and showed quite a bit of reductive funkiness (which online reviews note). With time in the decanter, this showed a ton of dark, plum and cherry fruit with the earthiness and that funky edge.

This wine was a surprise to me. I expected a much leaner, even acidic style of Pinot. Instead, we saw dark fruit....tons of fruit. This could have been a balanced Russian River Valley or Oregon Pinot! The reductive funk might not be as common in those New World areas, but.

We have half a bottle corked for revisiting tonight.

Yup, Brian.....like expensive. I find Neal's wines to often be a bit on the expensive side. But they're often very/very good.

I had the Grosjean PetiteArvine a few months ago and was mightly impressed by it. Very perfumed & aromatic and not as
terroir-driven as many whites from the Vd'A.
Tom

[Jenise]

Almost off-topic Q, but how do you pronounce 'Grosjean'?

Almost off-topic Q, but how do you pronounce 'Grosjean'?

http://fr.forvo.com/word/grosjean/#fr

When I had a forced weekend stay in Aosta due to a car breakdown, I was disappointed to find how few Valdaostans had a real command of French in spite of the bilingual status of their region. They seem to be becoming increasingly Italophone. Having seen the stupidities which arise in Belgium because of language pride (and I think that similar stupidities occur in Italy in predominantly German speaking Alto Adige/Sud-Tyrol), I have to congratulate them for their pragmatism on this issue.

Completely off-topic, Tim, Lisieux looks like a pretty nice town! (Google Streetview is awesome!)

Completely off-topic, Tim, Lisieux looks like a pretty nice town! (Google Streetview is awesome!)

Brian,

Lisieux was a pretty nice town until it received the delicate attention of the US Air Force and the RAF just before and on DDay. There is just enough of charming mediaeval housing and monuments left to give a tantalising glimpse what it must have been like. It was rebuilt in a dull functional style. The fine early gothic cathedral did survive, however, as did the very ugly basilica built in honour of the local saint Thérèse; a bit of bad bomb aiming there . My favourite feature of Lisieux is its weekly market on Saturday mornings with a superb range of stalls selling home grown vegetables, fresh caught fish, game, free run poultry, locally produced foie gras and cheeses, some of the best coffee and tea in the region, home made bread............