Brett happens

wapiti and I bought a bottle of the Movia last spring intending to drink it together but only got around to opening it at a recent dinner also attended by the other half of Pork Futures.

Cour-Cheverny 2001, Domaine des Huards (around $16 at the SAQ when purchased in c. 2003)
100% biodynamically farmed Romorantin. Lightly pressed, then racked. Fermented at 18 to 20ºC (64 to 68ºF) in stainless steel, then racked and left to mature on the lees for six months.
Pale straw gold with a green cast. Lemon and wax on the nose, with a faint oxidative note and a Riesling-like hint of kerosene. Richly textured, bone dry, with coursing acidity. Flavour reminiscent of lemon pith and oxidized sour apple on a chalky substrate. A hint of powdered ginger creeps in on the long, bitter-tinged finish.  Seemed a little flat on opening, then blossomed for about half an hour before slowly losing its edge; in other words, considerably less vibrant than the bottle opened in 2007 and probably a little past peak, though still fascinating, even memorable. An excellent aperitif but not a successful match for bruschetta topped with a savoury zucchini “jam.”

The SAQ currently carries two other wines from this winemaker (here and here) but hasn’t stocked the Cour-Cheverny for several years. Hard to understand why. These days, as far as I know, the only way to get a Romorantin or Romorantin blend in Quebec is through the private import channel.

Brda 2002, Veliko Rdeče, Movia ($39.00, 11213757)
A blend dominated by Merlot with some Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon (the 2004 is 70-20-10) from organically farmed vines an average 35 years old. Alcoholic fermentation takes place in large tanks with natural yeasts obtained from the same pre-harvested grapes. Macerated three to four weeks until the end of fermentation, when the pomace cap settles and clears the wine.  Transferred to French oak barriques for malolactic fermentation and six years’ aging on the lees with no racking. Sulphur is avoided until bottling, when a squirt of sulphur dioxide is added for stabilization. 13% ABV.
Opaque/hazy dark maroon, lighter at the rim but with very little bricking. Complex nose of cassis, spicy plum, iron, sawed wood, hints of kelp and smoke. Rich, broad, deep on the palate. Fruity but not to excess, the ripe sweetness showing mainly on the mid-palate. Soft, velvety texture. The tannins are very nearly resolved. Long finish with a spicy note. Very smooth and drinkable. Went supremely well with a 1.3 kg dry-aged prime rib grilled over very high heat.

Astoundingly, there’s some of this left at the SAQ. A well-made, fully mature, ten-year-old, world-class red for under $40. What’s not to like?