It's been a long time since I had snails. I bought 5 dozen big 'uns frozen and already prepared with garlic butter for the five of us.
A very rich and decadent thing to eat with crusty country bread...
We had a 2005 Marsannay blanc from Domaine Bruno Clair to go with them.
I'd never had a white version of this appellation bofore. I've previously enjoyed Patriarche's Montre Cul, and the rosé is justly famous.
This white Marsannay was crisp and certainly cut through the butter, but I found it to be overly acidic.
You hear so many stories about white Burgundy ageing prematurely that I don't know if this acidity will enable the wine to improve, or not.
I'm tempted to think that it was intrinsically thin and sharp, although compensated by its fresh fruit.
In other words, it has not much to gain by more than 2 or 3 years further cellaring.
Had I been served the wine blind, I'd have probably said a Côte Chalonnaise or maybe a Chablis.
With veal stew we enjoyed a 2000 Ch. Méaume, a Bordeaux Supérieur.
This is owned by Alan and Sue Johnson-Hill of Hong Kong and is widely distributed in the UK.
The color was tremendously deep and fine, and the nose was very Médoc-like with fine berry fruit and graphite nuances.
Unfortunately, it was rather disappointing on the palate, lacking richness, despite its body (14° alc./vol.), and with a decided greenness that seems unusual for the vintage.
Best regards,
Alex R.