The American Lawyer - February 2008

The Lawyer’s Life

Wor thy
Successor?

THE NEW AUDI TT IS better than the car it replaces in almost every respect, as the TT now sports Audi’s aluminum space frame—making the car lighter and stiffer than the previous steel-framed version. The TT was always fun, but now it feels nearly nimble enough to make you think you’re driving a baby Porsche.

Well, it’s close, but still no cigar, as the TT lacks the balance that gives the Porsche Cayman (closest in price to the Audi) its telepathic sense of handling. The new TT has plenty of muscle, with an available 250-horse- power, 3.2-liter, six-cylinder engine powering all four wheels via Audi’s quattro system. But it feels almost as nose-heavy as a Saab. What you gain in di-

Vintage of a Lifetime

AUDI TT

can be clunky, but these showed white pepper, acacia honey, and small flowers on the nose.

From the hills of Corton came three truly great Charlemagnes: Bouchard’s is the best I can remember from that house; Jadot’s was, as usual, perfectly balanced; and Latour’s was tightly wound, but redolent of cinnamon and spice.

Grand vin. Grande année. This is the vintage to break the bank over. You won’t regret it.

—J A

MSRP • $42,900. Price as tested: $48,020.

MILEAGE • 18 city/24 highway

WARRANTY • 4 years/50,000 miles, with Roadside Assistance

rectional stability you lose in handling on the type of country road that should be made for the TT.

But for most drivers, the new TT will still deliver plenty

53"$: 8"-,& 3 *--6453" 5*0/

MOTION

of motoring excitement. It is particularly adept at highway cruising, and its optional 6- speed automatic dual-clutch transmission will cure you of any desire to drive a stick. But at boulevard speeds, you might want a bit more “luxury” out of this luxury/sports coupe, as the same tight suspension that wows you on the highway can be a bit rough on the kidneys on bumpy roads.

^You ^might ^also ^wish ^for ^the E^VERY ^DECADE ^OR ^SO,^more ^{accommodating} ^seats ^of ^the ^wine ^trade ^{announces the} ^old ^TT^, ^as ^the ^large ^side ^{bol- yet} ^another “^vintage ^of ^a_sters _of _the _current _model _make _lifetime.” _Most, _of _course,it tough to run errands with aren’t. This time, however, the
anything in your pockets. And hoopla is deserved. This is how
unfortunately, the car’s almost good 2005 is: You’d have to go back
total lack of cubby space for more than 55 years—to 1959—to
your cell phone, iPod, and GPS find such a stellar vintage, in just
(there’s no NAV system) only ex- about every grape-growing region
acerbates the problem. of Europe. Nowhere is this more
Overall, the car’s interior true than in Burgundy.
is a bit of a mixed bag. It has While the 2005 red burgundies
the same tasteful aesthetic as completely overshadow their 2004
Audi’s A4 sedans but lacks the counterparts, the whites from these
personality of the previous TT’s two vintages are first-rate, but quite
aluminum accents and rotating different in character. The 2004
bezels. One might think Audi whites are notably svelte and ele-
would emphasize aluminum in gant; the 2005s are rich and power-
the new TT interior, given the ful. You’ll find few if any duds, in ei-
use of the new space frame, but ther vintage—which you prefer is a
I don’t make those decisions. matter of taste. What is remarkable
If I’m sounding overly criti- about the 2005 white burgundies is
cal, I don’t mean to be. You’ll that their quality is uniformly high,
have fun in the new TT, which from simple Bourgogne Blanc to the
is a very solid entry in the mid- heights of Corton-Charlemagne.
priced luxury/sports class. It just I recently tasted a range of 2005
could have been better. whites from five famous old houses
—R G that are also major estate own-
ers: Bouchard, Chanson, Drouhin,

Jadot, and Latour. At the moment, all five are either at top form or very close to it. I also had a chance to taste the wines from Jean-Jacques Vincent’s Château de Fuissé in Pouilly-Fuissé, culminating in a mind-blowing “Vieilles Vignes” (made from grapes grown on 30- to-70-year-old vines) that was absolutely succulent.

Another treat was tasting not one but three rare white Beaune premier crus: the exquisite (and justifiably expensive) “Clos des Mouches” from Drouhin, the rival “Clos des Mouches” from Chanson, and Jadot’s “Grève Le Clos Blanc,” Domaine Gagey. White Beaune