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This is my second day at the Goedhuis office and already the tasting room is alight with a tasting of two spectacular wines, Mercurey 1er Cru Clos du Roi 2010 and Marsannay Clos de Jeu 2010.
Johnny Goedhuis tells the story of being introduced to the wine by a descendant of Oscar Wilde, who lives in France. Having read A Picture of Dorian Grey several times and considering it a work of genius, I am entranced with the story. This is a good wine and words paring as the Clos du Roi is an example of artful wine making by Jean-Pierre Charton, Lauriat of the competition Best Young wine Maker of the Year 2012 of Jeunes Professionnels de la Vigne (GJPV).
The wine is an elegant example of what Pinot Noir can express in the glass. Ripe cherry fruit is softened with a fine cocoa richness, showing supple tannins with a berry fruit lift at the finish.
The second wine, Marsannay Clos de Jeu by Charles Audoin, stands out from the first with its depth of luxurious red colour but is a little restrained at the start. When I taste it again an hour later it has opened to expose an intoxicating berry fruit aroma, raspberries enveloped with just a hint of wood, excellent balance and a classic, clean form.