Small tasting group ventured into Pinots last night. Third session, so the theme was "No Oregon; No Burgundy". But anything else.
The last wine of the four poured (blind) was a Bressan Pinot Nero Venezie-Giulia 2004. I went on record as not being very fond of it.
Could be the tasting order, with a rather elegant and restrained Sonoma Coast 07 going first, a Walker's Bay 06 from SA next, and an impressive Meerlust 05 SA just prior to the Bressan.
Or it could have been the food---one of our tasters is also a Chef, so whipped up some green onions wrapped in bacon and grilled, grill-roasted chicken and herbs, green beans, and a truly wonderful fresh mushroom risotto. Spendid food, and great with the other Pinots...but not with the Bressan.
My trouble was the Bressan came across as an over-the-top wine: the dreaded Pinot Syrah monster, but instead of fat sloppy blueberries, this was fat Amarena cherries. True the slightly bitter tang of sour cherry was better than blueberries, but it was a bit disconcerting after the restraint of the previous wines. Came across as too ripe fruit, too extracted, too broad and strapping.
Had it been accompanied by barbecue or even a big bloody chunk of grill charred beef or somesuch, maybe then.
I've always admired Bressan for his total inability to or willingness for compromise with his wines. And I've liked some of the wines before---but this one just didn't hit me in the right spot last night. To use a sports metaphor, it was like getting a change up pitch just when you think you've settled into the pitcher's style.
It's one of those situations where I think I'd love the wine under different circumstance---but I don't know that I'll ever have the chance.
So feel free to tell me how wrong I am.