Sweet Sensation

My friend Amelia said it best: If a wine could be a parfait, it would taste like the Henri Prudhon Saint-Aubin 1er Cru Sur Gamay 2003—a white Burgundy from a tricky vintage.

The brutally hot summer of 2003 forced an early harvest in the Burgundy region as vines struggled to survive. The conditions caused some of the fruit to shrivel and die. Wines from this vintage can lack acidity and in a cooler vintage this wine would certainly have been crisper and leaner.

This small domaine, run by Gérard Prudhon and his sons Phillipe and Vincent is known as a source of good reds and whites from simple quality Bourgogne Aligoté, rouge and blanc, through village wines from Saint-Aubin, Chassagne, and Puligny, up to red and white premier crus from each of these prestigious communes.

This particular wine from the premier cru vineyard site Sur Gamay that lies within the village of Saint-Aubin, showed coconut and hints of vanilla on the nose that continued onto a creamy palate, combining with flavors of honey, almonds, and lemon curd.

With each sip it was easy to imagine this dry, white wine as a dessert parfait with a layered and creamy consistency.  All that was missing was the tall, clear glass, the cherry on top, and an extra few pounds on our hips.

Tags: Wine | varietal wine