What did I pair with Reindeer?

The last night of our Northern Lights cruise up the coast of Norway (we saw them) was a wonderful excuse to go to the ship’s fine dining restaurant and have a little bit of a splurge.  I selected Domaine Huber-Verdereau’s Volnay Premier Cru Les Fremiets 2022 to have with our food.  It was definitely an interesting experience drinking it on a swaying boat in the Barents Sea - above the top of the Norwegian mainland.

Volnay is one of my favourite villages in Bourgogne as it produces wines in a more ethereal style but with a slightly less punishing price than Chambolle-Musigny.  Normally I head towards the vineyards that are closer to Meursault but Les Fremiets is on the border with Pommard – where more robust Pinot Noirs are produced.

This wine was very savoury.  An initial aroma of black shoe polish which blew off quickly.  Then the notes of sour cherry, red and black cherries, mushroom and autumn leaves came through.  There was a savoury back palate of tarragon – both fresh and fried.  The wine was well balanced and integrated and paired beautifully with the reindeer dishes we were eating.

The wine is a baby and is currently quite closed but will open up in the next five years.  Despite that, we thoroughly enjoyed drinking it.

Rating:  Bloody Delish        Price: NOK 809 in Vinmonopolet (approx. AUD 120)