I'm still recovering from this weekend's wine extravaganza founded by Daniel Johness for those besotted with Burgundy.
While others in town for the event started drinking on Thursday night with the various private La Paulée parties, I didn't get down to it until Saturday with Becky Wasserman's seminar and then later at the walk -around tasting. Where I saw one of my favorite winemakers, Claude de Nicolay.
That's Claude at the Domaine in Savigny, when I visited in 2007.
She showed her 2006's and I found them brillaint. She is in her 3rd year of biodynamics. There is a heavy percentage of stems which give the wines an exotic spice and a touch of funk that I find riveting. They were vital, elegance and grip and without the take no prisoners approach to concentration that was so easy to find in this tasting. But a sip of the Ile des Veregelesses blanc or rouge, charm, provoke and tease. In my mind, the reds thumbed their nose (politely) at all the other reds in the room. But wait! Something peculiar is happening, I'm tasting metal in everything. I thought it was a flower day but perhaps it's a metal day? Are there metal days? It's not unpleasant but it is a shock.
Comments