Dear friends,

These two red Burgundies were tasted side – by – side, both providing good accompaniment to Kim’s delicious fennel pollen rubbed pork loin, pan roasted and nestled atop braised lentils and kale, with sides of caramelized onions and mushrooms. Both wines were decanted nine hours before tasting, and show rather differing qualities.

1999 Jayer-Gilles Hautes Côtes de Beaune, $39.99, 13% alc.: This ruby dark garnet shows effusive aromatics of deep dark plum, black cherry, cola, smoke and what Kim describes as “a weird, funky rubber, lay a patch kind of thing.” The latter quality strikes me as more of a tarry element, and I don’t find it nearly as objectionable as she does. The dense flavors generally echo with an earthiness to it all, substantial tannins, good acidity and a fairly long finish. The food brings out the cola aspect in the flavor profile, making this more user friendly, but it should rest for at least another five years to start drinking at its best.

1999 Albert Morot Beaune – Bressandes 1er Cru, $39.99, 13% alc.: A ruby dark garnet that is neither as effusive nor as heavy as the Jayer-Gilles, this shows a smoky black cherry and plum personality shaded with earth, underbrush and some toast and bacon with air. Medium full bodied, it is the lighter of the two wines, and also shows better with the food, which brings out a dry cherry and red currant quality. As it opens, it seems to put on some weight, and by hour number eleven, I find myself liking this better than the Jayer-Gilles. Like that wine, this one should be showing well around its tenth birthday and beyond.

Imported by Robert Kacher Selections, Washington, D.C.

Reporting from Day-twah,

geo t.

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