Saturday 29 October 2011

Yvon Metras Moulin-a-Vent '10


c. £23

There's something special about windmills. Their ease and grace, their silence. In parts of Spain they spatter the countryside like shot. Yet they are vital; pumping water and grinding grain, giving life out of nothing, the unmoved mover. The absurdity of Quixote is not that he saw the windmills as giants, it is that he was attacking windmills.

But here in the city we are far away from this calm and serenity, and sometimes other pleasures must be found. Sometimes the only thing for it is to get smashed on expensive wine and go out partying till sunrise with models. So I packed a bottle of Yvon Metras' Moulin-a-Vent and went off to see the Russian's American Sister in Shoreditch.

This is classy juice. It pours a light maroon and hits with a focused and concentrated mushroomy sous bois on the nose. The palate is alive, fine acidity and red fruit, precise slate-y minerality, some structure, unreal length. Reminds overwhelmingly of Grand Cru Burgundy. Seriously sexy stuff.

Gotta love windmills.

4 comments:

  1. That's a pretty expensive wine!
    Do you have any plans for Beaujolais Nouveau Day?

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  2. 'Tis indeed. But weirdly also one of the best value wines I have ever drunk. It really is that good.

    No specific plans, but I may thumb my nose and open a bottle of Brouilly. People make a fuss stateside?

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  3. Just picked up a bottle of Muscadet Nouveau! (Whatever the hell that might be.)

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  4. Some local wine shops have a 'nouveau' event but it's not really a big deal.

    ReplyDelete