2003 Domaine Chofflet-Valdenaire Clos de Choue Givry 1er Cru Burgundy France. Imported by Adventures in Wine, Daly City, CA. $28. Andrea Robinson Wine Club. ["Le Vin Préfré du Roi Henri IV."]
Medium red color, medium hue, lovely fruit aromas under layers of earthy leafy meaty notes, very good fruit with beef and mild spice notes, mouth filling and delicious, medium to full mouth feel, long finish, fascinating mixture of earth and fruit notes. Great food wine, and an argument for joining a wine club for at least a couple of wines each month – I would never have considered a 2003 Burgundy on my own, even for $28. This one rocked! 4*+.
We drank it with Andrea's suggested starter, grilled chicken and roasted vegetables:
Shiitake-Cheese Crostini Serves 4 [I halved the ingredients for the two of us.]
1 lb large shiitake mushrooms, stems trimmed
Olive oil spray
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 t dried thyme, or to taste
5 oz mild, semi-firm cheese or mild fresh goat cheese
(see Cook's Notes; I used goat cheese.)
Preheat oven to 475°F. Place the mushrooms on a rimmed baking sheet and liberally coat both sides with olive oil spray. Season on both sides with salt, pepper and dried thyme and place in the oven. Roast until mushrooms are golden brown, a total of about 10-12 minutes depending the size of the mushrooms, turning once halfway through the cooking. If the mushrooms look dry when you turn them, spray with additional olive oil spray. Remove mushrooms to a plate and top with slices of the semi-firm cheese, or spread with goat cheese, if using. Serve immediately.
Cook's Notes:
Robinson: A mild (not too tangy or funky) fresh goat cheese will work well, as will a nuttier, semi-firm to firm style such as Saint-Nectaire or Comte. If you are in the mood to take up the tongs, this recipe is really easy, and comes together quickly. It is a cheese “crostini,” but instead of the base being toasted bread it is roasted shiitake mushrooms. You can use just about any cheese you like to top the crostini. It makes a great first course, or lunch or light supper.
Robinson's wine tasting notes:
This is the style of wine my husband John would drink every night if he could: stinky, earthy, animal-y, beefy like bouillon. Alas, it’s a style that’s hard to come by. Usually you get those characteristics in collectible red wines that have been well-cellared, at which point the fruit has faded with time. This wine offers a rare juxtaposition of those haunting and hedonistic “other-than-fruit” fragrances and flavors that John loves, plus an abundance of plush, crushed cherries thanks to the very hot, ripe 2003 vintage. Though it tastes exciting now, I think this will cellar well for 5-7 years.
Part of the affordability factor in this wine is due to its origin. The village of Givry (jhee-VREE) is part of the Cote Chalonnaise sub-district of Burgundy, which is south of the main Cote d’Or area. Because they are off-the-beaten-path and less well-known, Cote Chalonnaise wines are major favorites among sommeliers due to the quality they offer for the price.