J.P.Chenet Cabernet-Syrah 2011

15.5 / 20

Producer: J.P. Chenet

Region:Pays d'Oc

Country:France

Starting out with some notes of green bellpeppers, this later morphs into a very fruit-forward wine, with lots of jammy blackberries appearing in the nose, alongside with some spices.

Very inviting in the palate, a soft, round body with a balanced acidity and soft tannins, the jammy fruit notes are also in the foreground, side by side with a distinct vegetable feel. Correct, medium-length finale.

A very straight-forward, young and slightly sweet wine. Not one to keep for a long time, but pretty enjoyable in its simplicity and youth.

Trimbach Riesling 2009

16.5 / 20

Producer: Maison Trimbach

Region:Alsace

Country:France

Very lightly coloured, showing a nice straw like hue, this has an expressive, clean nose showing all the usual Riesling notes: A strong mineral, rubbery feeling very well balanced with some sweet tropical fruit underneath.

Although the first impact in the palate is of a sweeter, fruit-forward wine, this very quickly changes halfway and the wine reveals a drier, more acid side that gives it a really focused, edgy taste. Very mineral, austere and showing notes of lemon, the sweeter side only appears from time to time, seasoning its austerity and dryness.

Really good and promises to grow in the bottle.

Cigalus 2009

17.0 / 20

Producer: Gérard Bertrand

Region: Pays d'Oc

Country: France

Really dark and concentrated in the glass, this shows some ripe dark fruits in the nose, delicate at first, but quickly growing and expanding, showing a spicier side and, as it breathes, a note of grass and mint that really composes the set.

Intense and full bodied in the palate, showing a vibrant acidity and marked by a good deal of concentrated black fruits. Velvety tannins help give it even more structure and layers, while the vanilla and oaky notes give it a very deep and composed feel. The subtle spices and vegetable notes present throughout the taste give it an added edge and grace, resulting in a really interesting wine that will age for some more years.

Tasted on 2012-10-11

Grand Terroirs Tautavel 2008

16.5 / 20

Producer: Gérard Bertrand

Region: Cotes du Roussillon

Country: France

Very dark to the eye, this Grenache/Syrah/Carignan blend is an enticing, deep and elegant red with the nose very focused on sweet black fruits - blackberries and blackcurrants - and showing caramel and coffee, pepper and a hint of liquorice.

Intense in the palate, with strong black fruit notes expertly mixed with the oak, it comes along as a very balanced wine, with acidity, tannins, fruit and oak all balancing out and creating a really good red.

Tasted on 2012-10-08

Pascal Jolivet Exception 2002

17.5 / 20

Producer: Pascal Jolivet

Region: Sancerre

Country: France

I approached this bottle with some caution... although I've really liked another white wine I had tasted from Pascal Jolivet, a 10-year old white Sancerre should not be in it's finest form, for sure. Reading the producer's site and seeing that this brand, Exception, would age well for 3-5 years did nothing to make me more comfortable.

Opened and poured, the light golden color was the first sign that not everything has lost - I was expecting to find a deeply golden colored wine. Still with some caution, I approached the glass to the nose: not bad, some signs of evolution with some glyceric notes, some nuts and almonds but clearly under control. A swirl or two and a beautiful, enticing and elegant bouquet started appearing - Very mineral and fresh, with lots of rubber and phosphorus with just a hint of sweet, boiled apples. My preconceptions were starting to shatter by now.

Tasting it with a lot more confidence, the body in this is superb. Fresh and showing an almost chalky, unbelievable acidity for its age - think Chablis, here - this is a totally mineral driven white, precise and balanced, filling the palate with some subtle lemony, dry notes and finishing in a dry, long way.

It definitely lost some of fruit and grassy feel that Sauvignon Blanc usually has when young, but it gained so much more. For me, a great example of how a white wine can age gracefully and develop unexpected but very welcome aromas and flavors.

Tasted on 2012-06-24

Chateau Sainte-Marie Vieilles Vignes 2007

15.0 / 20

Producer: Chateau Sainte-Marie

Region: Entre-Deux-Mers

Country: France

I approached this wine with a bit of caution. Although I liked the 2009 vintage I had tasted a while ago, I did not feel this was a wine made for aging, so at five years old, I was concerned this had long gone downhill.

As I poured it, a deep golden color did nothing to make me more comfortable. On first impact on the nose, a glyceric feel coupled with a lot of boiled pears and apples seemed to hint at a wine past its prime. Fortunately, as time goes by, a nice lime aroma permeates wine and still later, the sauvignon blanc comes forward, with tropical fruits and a touch of vegetable notes.

In the mouth, this is a soft, delicate wine seeming somewhat tired, missing some acidity and freshness. At first, it has a strong citrus feel that, as time goes by, is replaced with some vegetable notes that accompanies the taste till the average length wine that also shows some improvement given breathing time.

Although it was not as evolved as I expected, I would recommend younger vintages if you want to really appreciate this wine, as I found this a bit lacking on acidity and freshness.

Tasted on 2012-06-11

Toques et Clochers Limoux Océanique 2009

16.5 / 20

Producer: Sieur d'Arques

Region: Limoux

Country: France

This white from the Languedoc is a 100% Chardonnay that really left an impression on me, as most french Chardonnay usually do, being in a league of their own when compared with Chardonnays from other parts of the world.

Light green to the eye, with a bouquet filled with white, sweet fruit, a touch of oak and a good mineral feel that gives it a freshness and zest that expertly balances the sweet, heavier side of the fruit - including the boiled pears and apples that are also here in the background.

Also very balanced in the palate, with the sweeter white fruits very well balanced with the oak notes and with a bitterness and minerality that really make it shine. This freshness really offsets the unctuosity resulting in a finely tuned, fresh Chardonnay. Good, lengthy persistence finishes up this very good taste.

Tasted on 2012-05-08

Chateau Marjosse 2007

15.0 / 20

Producer: Pierre Lurton

Region: Entre-Deux-Mers

Country: France

A blend of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc, this french white from Entre-Deux-Mers, near Bordeaux, shows a light golden color, hinting at some evolution.

Discreet cooked apples in the nose, along with a glycerin feel lead the way to an unctuous, fat wine in the palate, with some sweet notes and only a dash of fruit. Balanced acidity keeps it alive throughout the taste that finishes long.

I think this is close to the end of its drinking window. I certainly felt that it could be a bit more lively and fresh. Right now, it is still a pleasurable drink but I don't think that will hold for much longer.

Tasted on 2012-03-25

Laurus Gigondas 2008

15.5 / 20

Producer: Gabriel Meffre

Region: Côtes du Rhône

Country: France

A Grenache and Syrah blend, this Côtes du Rhône has a composed bouquet where strawberries and cherries mingle with some toast/smoky notes and an earthy, truffle like aroma. After opening up, some black olives (not unusual in the Côtes du Rhône wines I've tasted so far) also appear.

In the mouth, it felt a bit closed. Good structure, fresh acidity but the cocoa/oak notes are very much to the foreground, overpowering the red fruit that can be felt underneath. Good, strong ending but one feels that this still needed some time to settle and balance - specially in the palate.

Tasted on 2012-03-11

La Poussie Sancerre 2009

16.5 / 20

Producer: La Poussie

Region: Sancerre

Country: France

A lovely white Sancerre, the nose has the usual vegetable, grassy feel along with not very sweet tropical fruits - guavas sprang to mind. A very mineral streak in the background gives it depth and complexity.

Dry in the palate, with a lot of citrus, lemony notes that were not present in the nose, this wine shows a lot of structure despite not being at all heavy. Elegant and poised, it finishes long with the lemony side to the foreground but with lingering vegetable and tropical fruits in the background.

Tasted on 2012-03-06

Trimbach Gewurztraminer 2007

16.5 / 20

Producer: Maison Trimbach

Region: Alsace

Country: France

Very aromatic in the nose, with strong and intense notes of ripe lichees and flowers, this gewurztraminer from Alsace is an interesting, refreshing wine.

Medium bodied, it shows a lot of ripe tropical fruits in the mouth. But these sweet fruits are very well balanced by a drier, lemony side and a hint of something greener. This drier side keeps the wine interesting and perky all the way to the good, long persistence that once again leaves notes of ripe lichees while maintaining a palate cleansing lemony side.

Tasted on 2012-02-27

Domaine Chandon de Briailles Premier Cru Ile des Vergelesses 1993

15.0 / 20

Producer: Domaine Chandon de Briailles

Region: Pernand-Vergelesses

Country: France

An older Bourgogne recently picked up at an auction, this had a clear red color with some brownish tinges.

Smoky at first on the nose, it later opens to sweet crushed red berries and cocoa/oak notes. Still later, a hint of dried leaves and leather come into play in a composed bouquet that is maybe a bit unidimensional.

In the mouth, it feels older than in the nose. Soft and delicate, as expected, it still shows a hint of tannins, relying mostly on leather and spicier notes to compose the taste. Finish is average and leaves yet more leather notes in the palate.

Still very drinkable, it nevertheless feels that it has peaked and is on its way down. Still, a nice experience with an older Pinot Noir.

Tasted on 2012-01-11

Domaine Coste-Caumartin Pommard les Montjeus 2007

17.0 / 20

Producer: Domaine Coste-Caumartin

Region: Bourgogne

Country: France

A Burgundy from Côte de Beaune, this has the usual light red color found in Pinot Noirs.

Wonderful bouquet, where the usual acid red fruits mingle with some spices and a earthier feel.

Fresh and quite dry in the palate, with loads of wild red fruit. Quite light bodied, as expected, it nevertheless reveals some powerful tannins on the final part of the taste. Long and lasting, it leaves a discreet and pleasant leathery note in the aftertaste. Give it time to breathe, since it definitely grows in complexity and length.

This Pommard comes along as a very young wine, yet. Maybe a bit green or rough around the edges. I think a couple more years in the bottle will allow it to grow substantially.

Tasted on 2011-11-01

Domaine Richaud Terre des Galets 2010

16.0 / 20

Producer: Domaine Richaud

Region: Côtes du Rhône

Country: France

Really nice Côtes du Rhône bought and tasted in Paris a couple of weeks ago - a blend of Grenache, Syrah and Carignan.

Black olives in the nose, a touch of sous bois and balsamic and lots of jammy black fruit. Very intense, inviting and deep bouquet all around.

Nicely structured in the palate, quite big and with a lot of dark fruit creeping up all over the place. Good, balanced acidity and some very present tannins grant it a pleasant, all around appealing taste. Very nice persistence with notes of black fruits and a hint of toast.

Went really well with a very rare entrecôte.

Tasted on 2011-10-04

Chateau Pichon le Roc 2009

15.5 / 20

Producer:

Region: Bordeaux

Country: France

Light garnet, this entry level Bordeaux has a pleasant nose, starting with the usual vegetable impressions of bellpeppers and some spices underneath that. Slowly, some intense ripe red fruits start to appear and take center stage.

Quite soft in the mouth with velvety tamed tannins and a crisp, fresh acidity, its palate focuses mainly on ripe red fruits throughout the whole taste, finishing with an average length persistence.

Overall, an interesting, simple Bordeaux that has some value for its price.

Tasted on 2011-10-03

Bouchard Père & Fils Savigny-les-Beaune Les Lavières 1ere Cru 2007

16.0 / 20

Producer: Bouchard Père & Fils

Region: Côte d'Or

Country: France

This Pinot Noir from Côte d'Or shows a nice, composed bouquet of earthy notes (mushrooms) mixed with acid red fruits and a touch of vanilla on the background - which was kind of a surprise for me in a Bourgogne Pinot Noir, but maybe that's just my lack of references. As time goes by, some smoke notes appear as well, along with some dried plums.

In the palate, a first soft impression, with a good acidity and velvety tannins. Despite the light, soft first impression, it fills the palate with red fruits and a touch of oak. Very composed and well done, it maybe lacks some of the complexity and layers Pinot Noir can exhibit. Finishes medium long, leaving nice red fruit notes in the mouth.

Tasted on 2011-09-01

Pascal Jolivet Pouilly-Fumé 2006

17.0 / 20

Producer: Pascal Jolivet

Region: Pouilly Fumé

Country: France

I think this was the first Pouilly-Fumé I tasted and it has certainly revealed a whole different world regarding Sauvignon Blanc, being used to more New World approaches.

Light golden, it started by revealing some smoke notes in the nose, maybe some grass on the background along with some boiled white fruits. As it blossoms, a more tropical approach enters the stage, with some passion fruit notes and the vegetable notes gain some strength. Very fresh and alive.

Nice fruit notes in the mouth, revealing a good, structured, very well balanced body. There's a strong mineral component to this that makes it shine, adding layers of taste and structure that still, somehow, do not add any extra weight. Exquisitely balanced, ending in a dry note with lemon impressions, again a strong mineral side - wet rocks - and some vegetable notes in the background, I could still taste it several minutes after the last drop.

Tasted on 2011-08-12

Chateau Sainte-Marie Vieilles Vignes 2009

16.0 / 20

Producer: Chateau Sainte-Marie

Region: Entre Deux Mers

Country: France

A white wine from Entre-Deux-Mers, an appellation near Bordeaux. A blend of Sauvignon Blanc, sémillon and muscadelle it comes along as a fresh, crisp white wine.

Some green tinges, the bouquet shows tropical fruit, not very sweet, and a vegetable feel- green, clean cut grass. More to the background, a touch of white pepper shows up.

It has an average body, clearly supported by a crisp, clear acidity. The vegetable notes linger throughout the taste, keeping up until the average-length finale.

Dry, fresh and lively, this is a very good wine for a light meal or by itself.

Tasted on 2011-06-05

Domaine de la Janasse Côtes du Rhône 2009

15.5 / 20

Producer: Domaine de la Janasse

Region: Côtes du Rhône

Country: France

A french white from Côtes du Rhône, this starts by showing aromas of tropical fruit, along with some crisp citrus notes. Further along the way some faint vegetable notes also appear.

In the mouth, this is an half-dry wine with some lingering sweet notes. Balanced acidity, it shows tropical fruit in the palate along with a smokier/toasty feel. Finish is average, with an aftertaste reminiscent of lemon rind.

Tasted on 2011-05-29

Chablis 1er Cru Montmains 2008

16.0 / 20

Producer: Maison Chanson

Region: Bourgogne

Country: France

Pale yellow, it starts by pointing to tropical fruit in the nose. Intense but serious, it develops some mineral notes in the background. But overall, the main pointer of the bouquet is still tropical fruits.

In the mouth, it's a really dry, acid wine. Almost tannic in the feeling it leaves in the tongue and gums, it really takes the Chablis acidity seriously. Much more mineral in the mouth than in the nose, although the ending leaves some fruit aftertaste, it provides a balanced taste despite its high acidity. Very persistent and very, very interesting.

Tasted on 2010-12-07