MARANGES 10 SARRAZIN, M
Guy et Jean Yves Sarrazin make wine in Jambles (zhamBLAYe), a small town southwest of Givry that doesn’t offer much to the average tourist unless you happen to favor a multitude of rock-covered vineyards in the hills. As these are the sources for stunningly noble, high-altitude wines that are truly a vinous world apart from the better-known flatland cuvées of Givry, we are very interested (and thankful that our friends at North Berkeley are, too!). Maranges is a vineyard that perhaps was overlooked in the past-- but the Sarrazins got their hands on a few select plots and this is the third outstanding bottling in a row (‘08 and ‘09 were, like the ‘10, delicious!) showing the quality of both the vineyard and the Sarrazin’s winemaking. In the glass, bright fruit (black cherry, raspberry) is balanced against earthy, spicy tones-- notes of cocoa and white pepper play off hints of fennel, bacon fat and rose petal. The palate continues with the fruit theme of fresh red and black berries, spice and black tea. Very good acidity keeps this wine ‘up’ and fresh in the mouth, which bodes well for holiday food pairing.
