Mischief and Mayhem, Pinot Noir, Chambolle-Musigny, 2006

http://www.mischiefandmayhem.com/

My Terlato representative, Patrick, recently stopped in with three samples of Mischief and Mayhem, one of which was the 2006 Chambolle-Musigny.  He explained that there is a small stock of these Burgundies at Tangley Oaks (Terlato Wine Group Headquarters), and they have been waiting to find a good home.  I had sampled a few M&M's in late 2008, and while I remembered thinking they were great wines, I was blown away by this outstanding bottle.

The brainchild of two great friends, Michael Ragg and Michael Twelftree, Mischief and Mayhem was born out of the passion for wine and for Burgundy.  Ragg moved to Burgundy after 10 years with Berry Bros. & Rudd, the leading fine wine merchant in Britain to pursue his own wine consulting business.  Twelftree is co-founder of the Australian winery Two Hands.  Their goal in creating Mischief and Mayhem was to produce high quality wine at fair prices, but more importantly to educate the masses about what Burgundy truly can be... a wine region deserving of the appreciation of their new age wine produced in the classical Burgundian style.

The Chambolle-Musigny is just that... a Pinot Noir with a solid Burgundy backbone, but the sexy finesse that will appeal to any Pinot drinker.  The nose begins with a fabulous perfume bouquet, like that of Chanel, and a soft cherry scent with hints of vanilla and pomegranate.  It is truly a beautiful bouquet.  The palate is very light fruit forward of deep cherry, then transitions to earthy, mineral notes with cocoa, and a touch of molasses in the savory middle.  It is light and clean, and then develops leather and dust profiles toward the back.  The light garnet colored wine is elegant throughout the entire seductive experience.  It grows in all aspects very well in the glass throughout the evening, and begins to show more fruit later on, with a definite presence of plum.  The final finish is very clean, and overall, the whole bottle was a delight.  An excellent accompaniment to an 8oz Filet Mignon, Day Boat Scallops, or Citrus Buttered Lobster.  Take your pick, and Mischief and Mayhem will deliver.  I can't wait to sample the other two bottles to compare... and to simply enjoy.