Masculine/Feminine – A Tale of Two Burgs

Did Jean Luc Godard have Burgundy in mind when he chose the title of his 1966 study of frivolous Parisian youth on the make? It’s doubtful, as there’s plenty to work with when delineating the battle of the sexes at any age or place. But when discussing the various styles of wine, no other region’s wines break down so deliciously into categories of masculine and feminine as do the pinot noirs of Burgundy.

It’s difficult to make a regular habit of the consumption of red Burgundy. To begin with, it’s expensive. And its many charming and seductive qualities make it the perfect candidate for sharing with other serious wine lovers or that special someone. It also cries out for fine cuisine. Put this all together and you probably aren’t going to pop open a bottle to accompany a weeknight baseball game or for a quick pick-me-up after a hard day at the office. However, if I don’t get a good Burg fix every now and then, I start to get this gnawing feeling deep in my bones…

My most recent Burgundy fixation is being fueled by two simultaneous happy occurrences: The reaching of the magic five year mark (well, almost) of my small stash of extremely alluring 2002 reds, and the first releases of the highly anticipated 2005 vintage just starting to appear on the shelves. I chose the following two wines at random and drank them on successive weekends. Ladies first…

Rene LeClerc 2005 Bourgogne Rouge
I was introduced to the wines of Rene LeClerc by a wine merchant in my neighborhood. The first wine I tried was a 1998 Gevry-Chambertin, a village level wine that was delicious, satisfying and one of what many claim are a rarity in the Burgundy racket – a great value. I went back to the well at least three more times. I’ll add that I was so impressed that the first Grand Cru Burg that I ever bought, cellared and subsequently drank was another Rene LeClerc (he’s got a brother, Phillipe, also a winemaker in the Cotes de Nuits), a 1999 Griottes-Chambertin that proved to be much more complex, equally satisfying, much more expensive but still – a good value. To make a long story short, I’m a devoted fan.

So, it was a great joy that I felt when I spotted a bottle of ’05 LeClerc Bourgogne on the shelf of one of my money pits. I’d tried the ’01 version and it was somewhat thin and acidic, but I knew that that was nothing to worry about as ’05 is supposed to be a great vintage across the board while ’01 was a vintage where careful selection was more the rule. I grabbed one and quickly forgot about all the other wines I was lusting after. This says a lot.

I chilled the wine a bit on a Friday night and opened it up, at the same time letting a slab of French Compte warm a little on the table. I usually try to have Burgundy with the appropriate meat or fish, but in this case I felt I could get away with something simpler. Immediately I was struck by the beautiful nose, a mixture of berries, mostly strawberry and that unique “pinot scent” that is so endlessly beguiling. The color was classic translucent ruby/purple, again immediately identifiable as pinot noir, but with a slight brownish tinge, hinting at a relatively early maturity. This wine was totally singing right out of the bottle at age two, which suggests that it was vinified for immediate pleasure. Fine with me!

The most amazing thing about this wine is the texture and body. While the wine is light to medium bodied, you could never really call it just ‘light bodied,’ as it has a subtle chunkiness and fatness to it, with a glycerin texture that’s not at all oily or heavy. It was like a hot summer breeze at night where you can feel the heaviness of the moisture in the air – a very sexy sensation. In a word the mouth feel and texture were ravishing. It also has perfect balance and excellent concentration. Fine tannins were accompanied by perfect acidity (depends on your style preference, of course) with ripe strawberry flavors in abundance. The finish was quite long. The overall effect was of fresh strawberries resting on a pillow of wind. If Helen of Troy showed up at my door, this is the wine I would proffer.

Jadot Pommard 2002
Hopefully, upon my return from the gladiatorial ring, fair Helen would have this wine waiting for me. While certainly not a bruising style of Pommard, Jadot’s village wine in the highly structured and excellent 2002 vintage is both a good example of the Pommard style and highly drinkable now. Pommard is known as the most masculine of the Cotes de Beaune wines, with a chunky, earthy and tannic style. It’s said that most good Pommards require about 10 years of age, and in truth, this wine was a little on the young side. However, not being a premier cru and having somewhat less than ideal storage might have pushed it into an earlier drinking window. Jadot is known for producing highly age-worthy Burgundies.

The nose was fairly reticent, not showing much at this time. The color was a darker shade of purple than most pinots. The palate was medium bodied with an abundance of black fruits – blackberries, cassis and black currants all made multiple appearances. There was a smoky, savory quality, with some hints of incense and spice. The wine opened up considerably in the glass but still the nose was generally absent, a surprise. The finish was long and satisfying. There was a slightly modern aspect to this wine. There was no real evidence of astringency, which is a hallmark of more rustic and traditional Burgs. The wine had a velvety smooth texture with fine but somewhat resolved tannins. Very luxurious and rich. Again, excellent concentration and balance, although somewhat lower acidity than the LeClerc. However, overall the Pommard showed greater depth, richness and complexity.

I served the wine with an herbed chicken sauté and cous cous. The meal was preceded by a 2005 Chalone Vineyards (California) Chardonnay as an aperitif with brie. I don’t think you could truly enjoy this wine away from a proper meal. The acidity and tannins would become too tiresome. Honestly, this was only the second Pommard I’ve ever tried, but it really hit the spot and has lingered in my mind since that night. I don’t remember the producer of the first one, only that it was somewhat disappointing and chosen at a time when I knew very little about Burgundy and the proper food pairings to accompany it.

So, what’s the verdict in the comparison of these two wines? Are they really a ‘his and hers’ pair? Would a glass of LeClerc’s ethereal Bourgogne reflect poorly on your three pound Rolex watch? Or would your hot date suddenly cool your ardor if she began to chug back a lioness’ share of the Pommard? I doubt that very much. I think these wines could even work at the same meal, although I would definitely serve the Bourgogne first, preferably with the appropriate starter. A smoked salmon salad or something similar would be miraculous – yumm! Perhaps a mediating wine might go well between them – is there a wine with a reputation that suggests it could stand in as a marriage counselor? Because, you know that when two extreme opposites like these get together, sparks will fly. Maybe it’s better to just say, – “viva la difference!”