Monday, November 11, 2013

2009 Domaine Mouton Givry 1er Cru Clos Jus Bourgogne - Burgundy, France



On the fourth day of the Intensive Sommelier Training class our lesson focused on Professional Wine Service which consisted of learning such things as the proper method of Still Wine Service, the proper method of opening a bottle of Sparkling Wine and Decanting Wine. We then practiced going through the Court of Sommeliers tasting Grid in which we tasted 4 wines, two domestic and 2 imported. I reviewed the first imported wine in last post, the second imported was the 2009 Domaine Mouton Givry 1er Cru Clos Jus Bourgogne.



Bourgogne (Burgundy) France



The Burgundy wine region is in eastern France, in the valleys and slopes west of the Saône River, a tributary of the Rhône. The most famous wines produced here are Pinot Noir grapes and Chardonnay grapes, but red and white wines are also made from Gamay and Aligoté as well as a small quantity of rosé and sparkling wines. Chardonnay-dominated Chablis and Gamay-dominated Beaujolais are formally part of the Burgundy wine region, but wines from those sub-regions are usually referred to by their own names rather than as “Burgundy wines”. Burgundy has a higher number of appellations d'origine contrôlée (AOCs) than any other French region, and is often seen as the most terroir-conscious of the French wine regions. The various Burgundy AOCs are classified from carefully delineated Grand Cru vineyards down to more nonspecific regional appellations. The practice of delineating vineyards by their terroir in Burgundy goes back to medieval times, when various monasteries played a key role in developing the Burgundy wine industry.



Domaine Mouton



Domaine Mouton is located in Poncey hamlet of Givry in Côte Chalonnaise, a sub-region of the Burgundy wine region of France. The 4-generation family business began with Eugene Mouton and 3 hectares (5 acres) of vines. Charles Mouton was a Blacksmith by trade and became a winemaker. In 1968 Charles’ son Gerard took over and expanded the operation but they did not have bottle production until 1976. Then in May 2002 Charles’ grandson Laurent became the next generation of Domaine Mouton winemakers. The family farm now has a dozen hectares (29 acres) in Burgundy producing white and red Burgundies including first growths Givry Clos Jus, and Charlé Clos La Grande Berge.[1]



The Wine




The 2009 Domaine Mouton Givry 1er Cru Clos Jus Bourgogne is 100% Pinot Noir produced from organically grown vines that were planted in 1989 on limestone soil. It was aged in 70% new oak and 30% in 1 and 2 year old oak. The wine is clear day-bright ruby red, with medium intense aromas of cooked strawberries, rhubarb, plums, smoke, bacon fat, and baking spices. On the palate it is dry, medium bodied, with medium tannins and medium+ acidity. It is a medium complex wine with a medium+ length finish. The fruit on this wine is quite fresh and if tasted blind it could easily be mistaken for an Oregon Pinot Noir from the Willamette Valley. If you are a Pinot Noir lover, this one is a bargain as it retails for around $27.




[1] http://www.domainemouton.com/english/index2.html

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