Pinot noir fans hardly need to be told that the finest expressions of their favorite grape come from France's Burgundy region. But there are side effects to this: scarcity and high prices. That's why I'm always cheered when I come across an enticing example with a real-world price tag: The scented, savory-tart 2009 Domaine Faiveley Mercurey Premier Cru Clos des Myglands -- a wonderful mouthful of authentic burgundy from a super vintage, and a solid value at $35.

I know, we're all conditioned to think that the best burgundies are made by little old wine-growers tending their tiny plots, but the reality is that a top-class negociant firm such as Domaine Faiveley, which dates from 1825, has the resources and skills to bring out the maximum from the wines it makes. Faiveley is one of the largest owners of classified vineyards in Burgundy. The Clos des Myglands is one of the firm's monopoles (wholly owned vineyards). In this 14-acre parcel south of the village of Mercurey, the vines, some more than 40 years old, are planted in a mixture of clay and limestone soils.

Erwan Faiveley, a seventh-generation family owner, compares the 2009 vintage to ripe, full-bodied vintages like 1959 and 1964 -- but better balanced. The plummy nose of this wine leads into a wine with a lush, rich texture and taste with just the right depth, bright, sappy fruit and well-integrated oak that doesn't intrude. That's doubtless due to the restrained aging program -- the wine was kept in a combination of stainless steel and oak (only a third of which was new) for just over a year.

The wine has enough concentration to keep for several years, but I'd match its youthful tannic notes to rare roast beef, veal stew, or rich fish dishes such as grilled tuna steaks.

Elin McCoy is a wine and spirits columnist and author of "The Emperor of Wine: The Rise of Robert M. Parker, Jr. and the Reign of American Taste."

Comment

smaller | bigger

Write the displayed characters

Post Now Preview