AMAZING - Chateau Grand-Puy-Lacoste 2022 Lacoste Borie (France)

 

 

If somebody tells you the 2022 Bordeauxs are great, believe them - even the 2nd wines are spectacular, like this one ... today it's the Chateau Grand-Puy-Lacoste 2022 Lacoste Borie

IMPRESSIVE - Domaine de Bel-Air 2022 Les Granits Bleus Beaujolais-Villag...

 

Oh baby, I am a big fan of the Gamay grape, especially when it is done well, here this Domaine de Bel-Air 2022 Les Granits Bleus Beaujolais-Villages is a well-crafted, beautiful bottle of BoJo that hits all the right marks. Let me tell you about it.

 

SUPERB - Chateau La Nerthe 2020 Les Cassagnes (France)

 

For those looking for 'Neuf-du-Pape quality, without paying 'Neuf-du-Pape prices, might I suggest this alternative by one of their great producers : 

Chateau La Nerthe 2020 Les Cassagnes, Cotes-du-Rhone Villages

IMPRESSIVE Domaine Depeyrie 2020 Tradition (France)

A husband and wife with a love of wine and vines in the Roussillon - 

what could be more French than this

Domaine Depeyrie 2020 Tradition

YUMMY Monpezat 2020 Gouleyant, Malbec de Cahors (France)

Cahors Malbec can be structured and long lived. 

This one is made a little differently, but still ... today it's the 

Comte Jean Baptiste de Monpezat 2020 Gouleyant, Malbec de Cahors

DELIGHTFUL Domaine La Sarabande 2020 Bousigue (France)

For lovers of Mourvedre,

 I offer you this beauty as example of how great the wines from that grape can be 

Domaine La Sarabande 2020 Bousigue

EXCITING Chateau de Pibarnon 2019 Bandol (France)

This was the first winery in the Bandol area I visited and it was stunning: 

the views, the cellar, and most of all the wine : 

Chateau de Pibarnon 2019 Bandol

IMPRESSIVE Chateau Boucasse 2017 Grand Vin (France)

Time to taste Tannat from the Madiran region of France - 

known for grippy tannins and big fruit these wines age a long time : 

Chateau Boucasse 2017 Grand Vin

 

Chateau Boucassé 2017 Grand Vin de Madiran

60% Tannat with 20% each Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon ... These grapes take up 45 hectares of the 85-hectare vineyard Boucassé. The soils are "red and yellow clays on limestone" and the vine age ranges from 25 to 100 years. Slow fermentation happens between 8 to 10 days and a long maceration between 30 and 45 days (depending on the vintage) . It spends its first year in barrels, of which 20% to 30% are new, then 24 months in large wood casks. And after the 36 months is over, the wine spends another 2 years in bottle before release.

The note … Stunning nose that lures you into the glass. The fruit is smoky and has notes of blackberry, cassis and floral. Very approachable with a long finish. It's a lovely sipping wine. (**** ½)

STUNNING Domaine Boudau 2020 Patrimoine (France)

Talk about a takeaway. 

This wine from the Roussillon was an eye-opener about how good the wines of the region can be: 

Domaine Boudau 2020 Patrimoine 

FRESH & CLEAN William Fevre 2020 Petit Chablis (France)

Chardonnay from Chablis is not your same old-same old. 

There is something about these wines that just sing in the mouth : 

William Fevre 2020 Petit Chablis

MARVELOUS Domaine Tempier 2020 Bandol - Lulu & Lucien (France)

Bandol is part of Provence and while there is Rosé there, 

it is primarily known as a red wine region embracing Mourvedre : 

Domaine Tempier 2020 Bandol

Chateau Boucasse 2017 Les Jardins Philosophiques (France)

For a part of the country known for wines made from the Tannat grape, 

how does Madiran do with white wines? Let me tell you

Chateau Boucasse 2017 Les Jardins Philosophiques

 

... The Written Notes ...

A white blend made from the indigenous Petit Courbu and Petit Manseng from Boucassé’s 85-hectare vineyard. The vines are 45 years of age and these grapes take up nine hectares of the vineyard, at no more than 110 m above sea level. It is fermented in stainless steel and then aged in same for 12 months, but on fine lees.

The note … Grapefruit peel and pith that plays off of an oxidized sensation on the tongue. Great acidity back stops the wine giving it an exceptional length on the finish. A beauty of a sipper.

WONDERFUL La Chablisienne 2019 Les Venerables Chablis

Have we all forgotten about the wonderful world of Chablis? 

I have thankfully been reminded about it - you're welcome 

Les Chablisienne 2019 Les Venerables Chablis

SATISYFYING M Chapoutier 2021 Belleruche Blanc (France)

Usually not a Cotes-du-Rhone white fan, but I think I found one worthy of the video series : 

M Chapoutier 2021 Belleruche Blanc 

Cotes-du-Rhone Blanc

FLAVOURFUL Domaine de la Citadelle 2020 Le Chataignier (France)

From the Luberon area of France comes this jazzy little number, 

and yes, I just used the word jazzy to describe a wine: 

Domaine de la Citadelle 2020 Le Chataignier

EYE-OPENING Domaine de la Paleine 2019 Saumur Puy-Notre-Dame (Loire, Fra...

A tiny sub-appellation in the Loire Valley is making outstanding Cabernet Franc

Domaine de la Paleine 2019 Saumur Puy-Notre-Dame

Romain Moreau 2021 Coteaux D'Ancenis Malvoisie (Loire, France)

Looking today at a "Malvoisie" from the Loire Valley, 

a white with character and personality - 

from a grape that rarely possesses such attributes : 

Romain Moreau 2021 Coteaux D'Ancenis Malvoisie

 

 

Domaine Romain Moreau 2021 Malvoisie

A little on the sweet side, but with a good fruit core: peach and white peach with nice hint of minerality ... the name has been around for over a century, denotes Pinot Gris harvested late and with some sweetness – so this is bang on what it should be.  (****)

MIND-BLOWING: Domaine de Nerleux 2018 Les Loups Noirs (Loire, France)

A brilliant bottle of Cabernet Franc that simply blew my mind

Domaine de Nerleux 2018 Les Loups Noirs

 

... WRITTEN REVIEW ...

Vines planted back in 1997, 70% of the wine spends 18 months in oak, 10% new, the other 30% remains in stainless steel and is then back-blended into the wine to create a fruitier character; the result is a wine of wonderful depth and character: dark berry fruit, nicely spiced with hints of vanilla. The dark fruit comes across as cassis and blackberry – this wine just sings in the mouth.  (**** ½)

Domaine des Galloires 2021 Les Chailloux (Loire, France)

This was an absolute delight of a wine I tasted in the Loire Valley, right at the winery

Domaine des Galloires 2021 Les Chailloux

 

 

Domaine Des Galloires 2021 Les Chailloux
Fresh, lively, good acidity, lemon/lime, bright, hint of melon - stony/salty quality, perfect with oysters.  (****)

Chateau D'Aigueville 2017 Cotes-du-Rhone Villages (French Wine)

Today wine is a Cotes-du-Rhone wine that delivers both on taste and price, ya gotta love CdR wines

 

Chateau D'Aigueville 2017 Cotes-du-Rhone Villages

 

 

 

--- WRITTEN REVIEW ---

 

A red blend of Grenach, Syrah and Carignan, plus a few other grapes unlisted. Nose is pretty simple with white pepper and dark berry fruit. Taste is layered with smoky, dark berry, spice, blackberry, cassis, plus nice tannin backbone and a peppery-coffee finish.  (****)