King Of The Mountains

Pinot Noir, 2006
Jacques Puffeney, Arbois, Jura

I opened a bottle of this to wash down my first concerted attempt at the Jura specialty Poulet au vin jaune et aux morels (except without the morels which were notable by their absence from the East Geelong Happy Shopper). Not quite in the same league as Randalls 'Poulet' efforts, though I’m quite happy with my sophmore result.

The wine takes its time to unfurl before revealing it’s bright cherry kirsch bouquet spiked with dried herbs. There’s something mineral or umami/savoury coming to the party too. This is wild, mountain Burgundy. I can’t imagine this being an instant hit in a one-size-fits-all society; it has none of the modern attributes that make a wine instantly appealing to the mob; obvious fruit, sweet oak, alcoholic power and sucrose saturation. With a world of wine at our fingertips we become picky. The wine has to fit our, often-inflexible, notions of good better and best. This is thankfully one of those wines that doesn’t fit in. Perhaps a misunderstood loner that speaks of a time and place on the brink of vinous extinction.

US importer/writer Eric Asimov summed up Puffeney as a creator of “jagged wines in a silky-smooth world.” Well said. Nothing slick is happening here. No consulting oenologists, no pandering to export markets. Puffeney inherited a sliver of land from his father, which he expanded to 7½ acres by earning extra income as a cheesemaker, producing the region’s famous Comte cheese. He hand-harvests all of his vines, including the .6 acre parcel of Pinot farmed to produce this bottling. The wine is fermented in large old oak foudre and then aged in barrel for up to 30 months before bottling. Puffeney does not fine or filter, this, or any of his wines.

The palate, firm and jagged alone, moulds into the chicken. There’s a refreshing cut though the dish creating a mouthful of harmony. It’s a minimalist, idiosyncratic wine, a Jim Jarmuch job; unhurried, lacking clear meaning by focusing on mood and character.

An eclectic line-up at Loam (whites)

A lovely selection of wines were accompanied by the fascinating and delicious food at Loam, Drysdale, for the Heart & Soil Chrissie lunch.

Vazart Coquart 2004 Blanc de Blancs to start matched with Dutch cream, dill & smoked herring roe. The 04 vintage may have been Champagnes largest in history, though the chardonnay’s from the Cote des Blancs and here, the grand cru village Choulliy are ripe and luxurious. This is a powerful, pure-fruited style that is evidentially approachable as a young wine.

Two wines both accompanied the next brace of courses; Eel, yolk, pumkin, rose, summer flora & Mulloway, asparagus, avacado, tofu, nastorium. A Quincy "Sucellus" (2006, sauvignon) from Jean Tatin placed sauvignon blanc as the anti-hero; barrel-fermented in purpose built barrels made by a local cooper it is powerfully succulent and limpid in texture. Finer and elegant with the food its an interesting, esoteric Loire white that was appreciated by all. The 2005 Savagnin from Jacques Puffeney was a different beast entirely. Powerfully aromatic and dripping in flor character this is the antithesis of the more modern Savagnin Ouille (non-oxidative, dry whites). Of course, it could not have looked less like an Australian albarino (sorry, savagnin) had it tried, and bought on an interesting dicussion on the affect of voile ageing in masking the Jura terroir. A thought-provoking and vivid example from this facinating 'lost garden' in the foothills of France's Alp's.

I’m not sure what’s in Patrick Javillier's pipe at the moment, but judging by the outstanding recent releases I’d certainly like to know. The 2007 Bourgogne Blanc Cuvee Oligocene (Made from 0.75 hectares of 30 year old vines in the Meursault lieu-dit of “Les Pellans” situated below Meursault Charmes. Half of the lieu-dit is classified as Meursault and the other as Bourgogne Blanc, despite having the same limestone soils, and the latter is the only parcel in Meursault of this altitude and soil type not to be able to use the village appellation), sings like few other wines of this level can. It's a remarkably firm, piercing and a flat-out steal this vintage and we are also pleased to note that Patrick has moved to sealing with Diam for the first time. It was certainly an interesting match for the Squab, rubarb, red currant, milk skin and beach herbs course, though perhaps shaded in this forum by an exotically-plush & ripe 2007 Chinon, served blind, though let's keep the name of the producer under wraps as we try to arrange import rights!

Nic@