Winemaker Pat Hardiker reports on a fine wine experience in France
We recently visited the famous French wine region of Burgundy where we tasted, studied, ate and tasted some more. Although it was a memorable personal experience, we also saw and learnt lots.
We were based in a B&B with a difference at Pommard, a few kilometres from Beaune. Unlike most B&Bs, this one featured a vineyard and winery. It was about the same size as Cannibal Creek, but the differences stopped there.
A short nose?
The owners, Theirry and Estelle, are fifth generation wine makers working the land, tending the vineyard and creating wonderful wines. Estelle and Patrick compared a Cannibal Creek pinot and were surprised to find it quite similar in style to the local wine. Patrick left a bottle for Theirry to try on his return from a trip to Paris.
Their wine may have pipped ours by a short nose and l was happy to concede defeat – after all they’ve had more practice at it than me.
But I have to say our travel companions didn’t agree with my modesty.
All in all. it was a remarkable experience and a wonderful place to stay. Send us an email if you get the opportunity to visit Burgundy and we will pass on the address.
A taste for tradition
One of the things we learnt on our trip was that while the appellation laws protect tradition (and presumably quality), they can also be quite restrictive. Even the height of the vines and the number of vines per hectare is regulated.
After a few icy cold beers, we tried a several bottles of burgundy including two Grand Cru plus some Premier Cru and village pinot We felt the Grand Cru didn’t really make the grade.
The first was very big and, in my opinion, had taken on nondescript dry red characters – it lacked the finesse expected of a fine pinot noir.
The second was a more delicate wine but the tannins were extremely drying and not property integrated.
This was a 1998 vintage and I haven’t looked into what l should be expecting from that year - I’m really just relaying our holiday experience.
The Premier Cru we tried were all standouts and fantastic wine, It really was a bit of luck to stumble across some very special Premiere Cru.
I felt they had something in their complexity and charm that l am still working to achieve. Mind you, they have had a lot more time at it! We really are the ‘new world’.
We had a superb chardonnay of a complexity rarely found in Australia - except for Giaconda who “some how manage” to get it right.
This got me thinking. l will be trying to steer the style of Cannibal Creek chardonnay in a slightly different direction, perhaps better suited to Cannibal Creek terroir.
In the great Aussie tradition, I’m willing to try anything that seems like a good idea at the time!
Cheers!
Pat Hardiker
|