Alan Kerr aka Canadian Zinfan showed up at our door a while back with these two bottles in hand, and we wasted little time in opening them and seeing what they had to offer. What we found was very much to our liking.

1999 Verget Meursault “Rougeots,” $29, 13 alc.: This medium straw even LOOKS thick; it exudes a green apple, pear and lime bouquet, with some creamy oak nuances that really come out in the flavors, along with a good dose of minerality. It has good intensity, excellent acidity, a fairly thick texture and good length on the finish; frankly, we found it to be delicious. CZ remarked, “It’s SO refreshing to drink a Chardonnay like this; it can go 5 years easy,” and indeed, I’d love to taste one at least a few years down the road. It pairs well with smoked chicken, which brings out a bit of the toastiness in the oak; after it’s been open for an hour or so, toasty vanilla really emerges, which might turn some people off. Of course there’s a simple solution to that; suck it down in less than an hour! Hah!!!

2000 Verget Puligny-Montrachet “Les Enseignères,” $35, 13% alc.: Another medium straw, this is a little sweeter and a little spicier on the green apple, pear and mineral nose than the Meursault; it’s also a little creamier on the palate, with excellent acidity and intensity. Kerr observed, “There’s much more of a lamp oil feel to this; it’s more viscous. The pear is riper; it’s quite lovely.” With a little air, I found a bit of cucumber flesh on the nose, while CZ noted some lime zest, mineral and peach or nectarine on the palate. Kim got a bit of what she called “dime store turtle water,” saying one would have to have grown up back in the ‘60s to know what she was referring to. Alan likes the complexity of the Meursault and the balance of the Puligny-Montrachet, but as the latter opens over time it actually develops considerably more complexity than the “Rougeots;” CZ rattled off added impressions of butterscotch, creamy toffee and hints of licorice. This is another one that would be interesting to see what develops with some time in the bottle.

Imported by: Barrique Wine Company, Chicago, IL 60640

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