2003 Parent Bourgogne

In my house, rotisserie chicken means Pinot Noir. And tonight's choice was the 2003 Parent Bourgogne. Medium-dark color with some brownish tints. A bit of dark cherry fruit on the nose, but it's mostly dominated by licorice and freshly-turned earth. Goes through a weird phase around the 30-minute mark where a lot of wet animal fur is evident, but that blows off rather quickly. At the one hour mark a really pretty mint and herb aromas appears. Quite interesting and ever-changing. Not a lot of fruit or oak and none of the sweet vanilla characteristics that lovers of California Pinot Noir might look for. To be honest, this isn't my favorite expression of this grape, but this was a nice pairing with the chicken and a Brussel sprout hash. About $18.

On a side note - anyone out there who owns a Weber grill, charcoal or gas (I own one of each), really needs to invest in a rotisserie. They run about $90 for the spit and electric motor, but they are versatile enough to use for whole chicken, leg of lamb or even a prime rib. If you are using the rotisserie with a charcoal grill, you will want to buy the rotisserie that comes with the ring that allows for more clearance for your large piece of meat. This kit is about $150.