A Great Wine With Turkey!

This week’s WoW is for all you last minute Christmas organizers who are still looking for a good red wine to serve with your turkey dinner.  Bouchard Pere et Fils La Vignee Pinot Noir 2009 is a great choice at the great price of $16.95 at the LCBO.

This wine comes from Pinot Noir’s ancestral homeland of Burgundy, France, where some of the most incredible examples of this grape are produced.

Bouchard Pere et Fils

Founded in 1732, Bouchard Pere et Fils is now the largest domaine in the Cote d’Or.  In 1820, Bernard Bouchard purchased the royal fortress of Beaune, built by King Louis XI and King Louis XII.  Since then, Bouchard’s wines have been cellared in the bastions and ramparts of this fortress.  The domaine’s 321 acres of vineyards includes 185 acres of Premier Cru and 30 acres of Grand Cru.  In 1995, the Bouchard family passed the domaine on to a very old Champagne family, the Henriots, who have continued to run the domaine with the special attention and care the Bouchard’s did for over 26o years.

Winemaking

The grapes for this wine are grown by quality conscious growers who follow Bouchard Pere et Fils strict quality control standards.  Twenty-five percent of the wine is aged in barrels for 6 months while the remaining 75% is aged in stainless steel vats.  All maturing takes place in the cellars of the ancient Chateau de Beaune.

Tasting Notes

This wine is a pretty ruby colour and displays aromas of red berries, especially cranberry and raspberry, spice, and a hint of vanilla.  It’s medium-bodied, soft, and silky on the palate with a very good length.  A really nice red Burgundy for the price.  This wine could take the place of cranberry sauce with your turkey dinner this Christmas.