Les Vergelesses Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Cru Pinot Noir

These are recalled impressions, not contemporaneous notes, from two nights ago, when the family council of elders met for a steak/wine pairing event at my brother Angelo’s house.

This was a last-minute sub for the 2016 Clos Beauregard Pomerol (which was nearly undrinkable). A lean and delicate style, favoring minerality over fruit. Most thought it too light for grilled strips, but it was my dad’s favorite (a surprise to me).

This is very tight and intense. Nose has loads of tiny bursty intense little cherries and pomegranate, along with intense chalky limestone minerality that almost verges into mint. As it airs, a deeper sous-bois note emerges. Intense and uncompromisingly lean, but with great concentration and length. The minerality really steals the show in the mouth. Lots of youthful but fine grained tannin. This will be much better in the coming years.

Cherries and crushed marbles. Seems a little too light. Lacks secondary flavors of interest.

PS had this 7 years ago