Life’s Brevity

AS DISCUSSED in a PREVIOUS POST, Denis Mortet, careful crafter of lithe Pinots, took his life a year ago. Whilst his physical form is lost, his skilfully assembled, soulful wines survive. Mortet’s heatwave developed ’03 Marsannay, 'Les Longeroies', is dense vermillon (what a hair colour it would make), with chicory, iced coffee, muscavado and burnt cream on the nose. The poised palate is well-powered, engagingly plush, with de-acidified raspberries, an almost homeopathic shaving of ginger, and a never-nagging, clean, cleansing minerality. The paced, strategic finish occurs with grace. Tannins are soothing, silky, playful even, and bright.

Wine is for pleasure.

Examining and performing vinous critique, I think sometimes it is easy to forget that wine has a light-hearted, good-natured, even slightly mischievous application in life. Thus, I enjoyed this exultant, fermented perfect grape rendition whilst wearing foundation, blusher and mascara! Touched by a make-up artist employed by the stellar Cellar Society to make us pretty for a prominent perfume launch, my colleagues and I sipped, contemplating life’s brevity and its influx of opportunities.

I am proud to be an aspiring gastrosapien. Where this culinary curiosity will take me, I do not know. But so far, the journey has been fresh and wild. Such a shame that Mortet decided against life’s sometimes jarringly spicy uncertainties…

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I recommend a peak at Jamie Goode’s rundown on rogue yeast, Brettanomyces [CLICK HERE] which, it seems, is a bit like nits, favouring the clean, eschewing the dirty...

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