05 Domaine Parent, Bourgogne Pinot Noir

They're all different; they're all the same--Bourgogne. And unlike the village-level wines, these "declassified" pinot noirs can't really show off much of the land. It's not their job. So, no, this doesn't have the density of Domaine Parent's Pommard or the red currants of its luxurious Corton. Disappointing, perhaps, to some. But I think these "basic," verecund wines give us an opportunity to understand the winemaker herself. The requisite tart cranberry and plum, the hint of cinnamon and button mushroom are traditional. No histrionics. No tried-and-failed. If there's any duty these wines have, it's to be complex without being complicated--pas difficile. I don't want to think about them the way I have to think about grand and 1er crus (they take over me). I want to enjoy them. In a region stereotyped for "elegance," that purity is surprisingly rare.