WTN: 2006 G. Descombes Morgon, Beaujolais Cru

13% abv
Deep purple color with crimson rim. Nose reveals violets, dark cherries and maybe undertones of mocha and an herbal element. In the mouth dark-toned fruit (black cherries, dark plums) with an almost fizzy presence and a medium to long finish. I thinks this could be held for another 2-3 years and might even improve. Not a weakling. I had the first glass on its own but also found it agreeable with Cheshire cheese and with baked ham in a tropical fruit marinade. It settled down a little on the second and third days.

13% abv
Deep purple color with crimson rim. Nose reveals violets, dark cherries and maybe undertones of mocha and an herbal element. In the mouth dark-toned fruit (black cherries, dark plums) with an almost fizzy presence and a medium to long finish. I thinks this could be held for another 2-3 years and might even improve. Not a weakling. I had the first glass on its own but also found it agreeable with Cheshire cheese and with baked ham in a tropical fruit marinade. It settled down a little on the second and third days.

Thanks, JC. I have but one bottle of this that I lugged back from Paris last year. I've been holding off opening it, and will now continue to do so for a while.

Mark Lipton

Me too, borught one back from Paris last week (mine says vieilles vignes, perhaps yours do too) and was thinking of opening in a month or two. Perhaps I'll wait a while longer... Thanks for the note.

Mark, not to be a smartass, but why lug a bottle of $20-30 bottle of wine that's available in US (or at least 2005 was)? I understand Oswaldo, if he buys in US he still has to transport to Brazil. Or is this a rare cult wine Ithat I somehow didn't know about?

I would recommend waiting a year, or at least 6-8 months before opening and it could probably go two or three years. (Unless someone has a case of it and wants to try one bottle now.) I had the feeling I opened it a bit early.

I have one bottle of this in my cellar now. I was assured it is "somewhat of a cult wine and hard to get"

Thanks for the note-sounds lovely.

Mark, not to be a smartass, but why lug a bottle of $20-30 bottle of wine that's available in US (or at least 2005 was)? I understand Oswaldo, if he buys in US he still has to transport to Brazil. Or is this a rare cult wine Ithat I somehow didn't know about?

Dale,
Since I've never seen it in our market, factor in the shipping costs from Chambers St or wherever. And I've yet to see the '06 hit these shores, but honestly that wasn't a factor in my decision. I kind of ran out of hipster wines to buy while shopping in Caves Augé, sad to say. And, I assume that you realize this, but this is Georges Descombes, not the Jean Descombes label of DuBoeuf.

Mark Lipton

not the Jean Descombes label of DuBoeuf

Whose sole purpose in life is to mess up wine-searcher listings for Georges Descombes since you can't type -Duboeuf

I just googled it to find out more about availability and was surprised to see on one site (90+wines) that WA rating was 91 and WS rating was 83 averaging out to 87 which is about what I would give it now with upward potential to 88 or 89 with a little age. wine-searcher.com showed the Village Corner in Ann Arbor as the only listing for the 2006 vintage (I don't subscribe to the extended wine-searcher "pro" listings.)

not the Jean Descombes label of DuBoeuf

Whose sole purpose in life is to mess up wine-searcher listings for Georges Descombes since you can't type -Duboeuf

Yes, Mark, I understood. I do have a couple of G. Descombes '05s, though not the '06
Oswaldo, I think WS does use Boolean language, but not the - sign- try "george descombes morgon NOT duboeuf"

I'm not knocking any choices, but to me I kind of figure that for me carrying back a wine internationally is enough of a hassle I don't want
top do it unless either (a) it's unavailable in US or (b) I'm saving at least $40-50 a bottle. Of course, logic might change if I had a 3 bottle shipper in my luggage, had 2 bottles of wine, and was leaving next day. The marginal hassle of the 3rd bottle is low.

I'm not knocking any choices, but to me I kind of figure that for me carrying back a wine internationally is enough of a hassle I don't want
top do it unless either (a) it's unavailable in US or (b) I'm saving at least $40-50 a bottle. Of course, logic might change if I had a 3 bottle shipper in my luggage, had 2 bottles of wine, and was leaving next day. The marginal hassle of the 3rd bottle is low.

You've pretty much nailed it. I had 5 bottles and a 6 bottle shipper, so the Descombes got in on the sly, so to speak.

Mark Lipton

Aha, the old "this is a freebie" (energy wise).
I sometimes have done same thing with domestic shipping. If I have 5 bottles from WLibrary, shipping for extra is a $1. So why not!
::)

Oswaldo, I think WS does use Boolean language, but not the - sign- try "george descombes morgon NOT duboeuf"

Brilliant, thanks.