WTN: 2003 Chevillon Bourgogne

[David M. Bueker]

As part of our group's tasting last night we had the '03 basic Bourgogne from Chevillon. What a truly bizarre wine - at least as it relates to the usual expectations for this bottling.

From the opening pour to my extra sips of it before retiring for the night this was essence of strawberry jam. Steve Guerette referred to it as 'Polaner All Fruit' and he nailed it. There was even something more than a little confected about the berries. It seemed like a hyper extracted Beaujolais. There was also a distinctly drying finish that makes me very wary of letting my remaining bottles get any age on them.

A much more anti-Burgundy (or perhaps 2003 typical) showing of this wine than my last bottle (about 4 months ago).

It's funny that it would show strawberries, isn't it? I always thought that cherry was the dominant fruit character in much of the ordinary Burgundy.

[Robin Garr]

It's funny that it would show strawberries, isn't it? I always thought that cherry was the dominant fruit character in much of the ordinary Burgundy.

Even "ordinary" Burg is too complex to narrow down to a simple "tastes like cherries," IMO, but if we must, I'd suggest "red fruit" as the broad general descriptor. Strawberries, cherries, the strange wines we brew ... no, wait, I'm channeling the '60s again ...