84+(?) 2006 Christian Lauverjat Sancerre Rouge 7/19/09 ($23)
12.5% alc
Color: Light raspberry with a hint of light tea. (2.5) Bouquet: Tart raspberry and strawberry with high acidity. Also nuances of white pepper, dry leaves and spicy oak with a touch of greenness in the fruit. (2.5) Body: High acidity and tart fruit. Light middleweight with acidity-driven energy, but not enough fruit. Almost like a rose, it's a little austere with a lean, slightly mean structure. (2.5) Flavor: Has subtle raspberry Pinot Noir fruit with a tannic, tea component. Tart and not heavy with some mineral terroir and oak. (2.5) Finish: Parallels flavor, but becomes more simple here. Has some length and a touch of bitterness. (2.5)
Overall: A lean, high acidity Pinot Noir, similar to a German Pinot Noir, being almost Burgundian, but could use more character to compensate for its lack of fruit. Has tart raspberry fruit with tea, mineral and autumnal nuances. The high acidity and tannin give it enough structure to age for a few years, but I question whether it has enough fruit to warrant the effort. Serve at 60 degrees. A good food wine with structure that I could recommend at $15, but not at $23. I found there '07 rose to be much more compelling. (12.5)
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