Fear and Trembling (Chevalier Pere et Fils Ladoix 2005)
Dear friends,
Every time I encounter a Burgundy I haven’t tasted before I experience both anxiety and excitement. Why? Because there is nothing more disappointing than a thin, undernourished red Burgundy. The ratio of hits to misses with Burgundies favors Napa Valley reds, Aussie Shiraz, southern Rhones. Burgundy is so mercurial and unpredictable.
Why do we all bother? Because when you encounter a good red Burgundy it as if the gods are smiling. Ask any serious wine person about this. Red Burgundy is the Holy Grail of wine: when you experience a good one you are tasting a little bit of heaven. You know where this is going by now: I had a mini-religious experience recently courtesy of a $30 red Burgundy. Not $300, $30! And the name of this vinous miracle? 2005 Ladoix from Domaine Chevalier.
Ladoix is not exactly a household name. It is a modest village on “the wrong side” of the tracks just the other side of the Hill of Corton. This is the transitional region between the northern vineyards of the Cote de Beaune and the southern vineyards of the Cote de Nuits. What Ladoix lacks in fame it makes up for in the striving for excellence: 3 fines estates are firmly situated in Ladoix, none better than that of Claude Chevalier who has transformed his father’s excellent domaine into a superlative one. The entire classification system in Burgundy prices wines by the status of their geographical source—a kind of caste system alien to the new world where wines are priced and evaluated by the reputation of the grower, not the pedigree of the vineyard. The good news for savvy consumers is that there are a number of wonderful Burgundies which are under-priced relative to their quality because of the hierarchy of the appellation system.
Tasted on its own merits, Chevalier’s 2005 Ladoix would kick the butts of dozens of red Burgundies and new world Pinots retailing for twice the price. The first thing you notice is the breathtaking bouquet: Asian spices, leather, sweet young tobacco leaves and lush dark cherries. It broadcasts Burgundy. It is this kind of aroma that sends Burgundy nuts into another state of consciousness. Fortunately the taste lives up to the superb bouquet with a wonderful silky texture, waves of dark fruit flavors ands lip smacking acidity to keep everything fresh and alive. Sniffed and tasted 24 hours after being opened, the Ladoix had lost nothing of its beauty. Don’t bother to order a mere 3 bottles. Buy a case if you can afford to and drink a bottle every 2-3 months.
Chevalier Pere et Fils Ladoix 2005
$30 per bottle - 1 bottle minimum
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By Mary Taylor
Mary Taylor, a Bostonian who has been involved the New York wine trade forever, recently moved full-time to Burgundy to send dispatches from the trenches: “It’s dirty work, but someone has to do it.” Mary is known for her love for elegant and nuanced European wines. She works for the Thoreau Wine Society, where members receive weekly wine offerings along with musings about life, love and travel (ThoreauWineSociety.com).
About The Humble Gourmand
The Humble Gourmand is published the first Friday of each month, edited by Alison L. McConnell, a Washington, D.C.-based journalist and writer. It is designed to offer straightforward lessons and advice to aspiring cooks, oenophiles, and all other eaters and drinkers.
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