Archive for the ‘France’ Category
Wednesday, September 1st, 2010
I have had a few bottles of this wine over the year, and it continues to improve. It might even be peaking now, because I have seen some small drinking windows on it. Two or three years. All academic to me as my six remaining bottles will be lucky to see the end of the year. A bit of lift on the nose, with raspberries and old leather with a touch of sweet red confection. The palate is beautifully integrated, savoury and juicy, old raspberries, cherries, river stones, heaps of length and a dry finish. There is a lovely balance to the wine, and it is refreshingly low in alcohol. 12.5% abv. Retails in the low $20s I think. 88 points. Drink 2010-2012. Sourced from Eurocentric Wine, and even though the 2008 is sold out, I believe there is some from the highly regarded 2009 vintage still left. Maybe.
Posted in $20 to $50, Beaujolais, France, Gamay, Notes, Price, Varietal/Style | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, August 18th, 2010
Raisins, plums, olives, black pepper and warm spice lead through to sweet fruits, raspberries and light plums, blackberries and liquorice, sweet spices and some minerals, with a almost syrupy character. Some warmth on the finish, but its cuddly rather than rasping. Still quite youthful, and perhaps needs a couple more years, though it is very drinkable now. In hindsight, perhaps a bit out of balance. Hmmmm. Showing the vintage characteristics. 86 points. Drink 2010-2015. 14.5% abv. $57.50 from a Langtons auction.
Posted in $50 to $100, France, Grenache, Notes, Price, Rhone, Varietal/Style | No Comments »
Tuesday, May 11th, 2010
Would you believe this is my first bottle of wine in 2 months? Hmmmm, I thought not. Well many bottles have passed under the bridge of vineosity – perhaps I should do a quick summary. Anyhoo, this was one of the better ones. A bright nose, lifted but without any volatility; lively dark fruits with some earth and a touch of wood spice. The palate is youthful, bright fruits with good concentration, cherries and some cranberries, and just a touch of sap. With time, it became a bit fickle, morphing between young fruitiness and a lightly tannic persona. Eventually showed some minerally dryness on the finish. Regardless, maintained its tidy corners over 4 hours. RRP around $175 I think. Lots of value here for a red Burgundy – yeah I know Burgundy is over-priced, but don’t come complaining to me! Best between 2014 and 2021 I think, but is okay now if you’re impatient. Sealed under cork. Ballpark is 91-93 points.
Posted in Burgundy, France, Notes, Pinot Noir, Price, Varietal/Style, over $100 | 3 Comments »
Saturday, March 13th, 2010
The appellation of Ladoix takes its name from the village of Ladoix-Serrigny, and being situated near the hill of Corton, is neighbours the Corton and Aloxe-Corton appellations. There are some 1er cru Ladoix vineyards, but for the most part these are Villages wines. Like this one. A clear medium red in colour. Red berries and spice, underlying earthiness and a touch of elegance. Nice weight on the palate, cranberry and cherry fruits that brightened over time, with hints of spice, earth and leather. On the lighter side of medium bodied. Sealed under cork. 13% abv. RRP is around $35 I think, so a good value Burgundy if that’s what you’re after. Drink 2012-2016. 86 points.
Posted in $20 to $50, Burgundy, France, Notes, Pinot Noir, Price, Varietal/Style | 2 Comments »
Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010
I’ve had two bottles of this wine this week with fairly consistent results; the second was a smidge better, but only a smidge. Pleasant aromas of river stones and stewed berries, raspberries and black cherries, summery spices, moss and some leather. The palate also showed the raspberry and cherry fruits, with lovely spices and minerals, and some garrigue. Length was pretty good, but the finish was a little raspy and hot. 2003 was a stinking hot vintage, and I think it shows with the touch of heat. I don’t think time is a friend of this wine, and I will be drinking my remaining bottles as soon as possible. Sealed under cork. Was originally purchased for $46. Drink now. 14.5% abv. 87 points.
Posted in $20 to $50, France, Grenache, Notes, Price, Rhone, Varietal/Style | No Comments »
Saturday, February 27th, 2010
Last bottle. Still a good red in colour. Red fruits and aromas from the barnyard, with raspberries and cinnamon, a touch of herbs and varnish. On the palate, raspberries and river stones, dried herbs and a bit of the farmyardy rusticity. Full flavoured with decent length, but there is some volatility on the finish. Went well with some goats’ cheese. Sealed under cork. 14.5% abv. Drink now. Was worth $27.29 from Europa Cellars many years ago. 83 points.
Posted in $20 to $50, France, Grenache, Notes, Price, Rhone, Varietal/Style | No Comments »
Thursday, February 18th, 2010
I got a few bottles of this wine from the Langton’s Wine Exchange in 2004 for $35 per bottle. Seemed like a good price at the time. I remember trying it when it arrived and it was a real bruiser of a wine: big fruit and big alcohol; it certainly wasn’t a wine to be challenged in single-hand combat. Well six years later some of the fruit has subsided, but the alcohol is still there, and lots of other aromas have evolved. Red fruits and dried herbs, but also a stinkiness, with cheese, farmyard aromas and an underlying tinnyness. The palate showed sweet fruits like mulberries, black cherries and black currants, with leather, minerals and earth, but there is also some varnish, tin and something like rotting compost. Good length, but that is probably a negative, because the sooner the taste is forgotten the better. Neither nose nor palate cleaned up with time. Barely drinkable with obvious faults, but there might be “good” bottles out there somewhere. Approach with caution. 15% abv. $35. Cork. 74 Points.
Posted in $20 to $50, France, Grenache, Notes, Price, Rhone, Varietal/Style | No Comments »
Tuesday, January 5th, 2010
I had to get the camera out for this wine because I couldn’t find any decent pictures on the net. Any tips to take a better bottle shot would be appreciated. Sweetly perfumed, with cherry, raspberry, earth and a touch of oak spice: all soft and delicate. The palate is clear and clean: linear fruits, cherries and raspberries, with some spice. Supple with good persistence and no hard tannins. Quite a lovely wine, with the perfume being the highlight for me.
Rated : 87 Points
Tasted : Jan10
Alcohol : 13%
Price : $80
Closure : Cork
Drink : 2012-2017
Source : Eurocentric Wine
Posted in $50 to $100, Burgundy, France, Notes, Pinot Noir, Price, Varietal/Style | No Comments »
Tuesday, December 15th, 2009
Red in colour, but with a brownish tinge. A mature nose, leather, pepper, dark cherries, plums, dried herbs and dried spices, with just a touch of alcohol lift. On the palate, red fruits, dried herbs and an earthy savouriness, with a touch of cherry liqueur. Has a soft spirity edge – but nothing aggressive. Some harsh tannins on the finish, though harsh is too strong a word. Where’s my Roget’s when I need it? A pleasant wine, drinking well now but should go a few more years.
Rated : 87 Points
Tasted : Dec09
Alcohol :14,5 %
Price : $35
Closure : Cork
Drink : 2009-2012
Source : Cellar
Website : Domaine Santa Duc
Posted in $20 to $50, France, Grenache, Notes, Price, Rhone, Varietal/Style | 4 Comments »
Saturday, December 12th, 2009
From the stable of the Barons de Rothschild, which in Bordeaux also includes Château Lafite Rothschild, Château Rieussec, Château L’Évangile, Château Paradis Casseuil and Château Peyre-Lebade. A blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot. Tasted over 2 nights, and to be honest was a bit like the stereotypical teenager: geeky and disjoint, gave nothing and just took took took. An odd nose: graphite, dried red currants, dusty cedar, milk chocolate, horse hair, pencilly oak with some cloves. A dry palate, some red curranty fruit, with vanilla pod, cinnamon quill, dry spices and dry herbs, and a barky finish. Savoury and red, and seems to be almost fighting against itself at the moment. Hopefully time with see it improve.
Rated : 88+? Points
Tasted : Dec09
Alcohol : 13%
Price : $90
Closure : Cork
Drink : 2012+
Source : Cellar
Website : Lafite
Posted in $50 to $100, Bordeaux, Cabernet Sauvignon, France, Notes, Price, Varietal/Style | No Comments »