France: Wine, French Wine Regions, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, & More Profiled

2005 Bouchard Père et Fils Beaune 1er Cru Clos de la Mousse, France, Burgundy, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2005
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A

Great showing for this 1er Cru.  Ruby in color, clear and bright.  The nose has cherries, spice and slight sandalwood.  Medium bodied.  Light tannins.  Great texture.  On the palate, this is complex and layered.  Cherry fruit with some earthiness and spice.  Good balance.  Nice finish.  This drinks well on its own but better with food.  This would be nice with Salmon.  Drink over the next ten years.  

2005 Château Pontet Canet, France, Bordeaux, Pauillac, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2005
Score: 
98
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$198.00USD

Popped the cork, allowed to breathe for an hour or so.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim, slightly flat and opaque.  The nose is classic Bordeaux.  Some Bordeaux earthy funk along with cassis, cigar box and cedar.  Firm tannins.  Nicely balance.  Great texture.  On the palate, this is just about at peak but maybe not quite.  Layered complexity.  Cassis, earthiness, tobacco and slight char.  Long finish with some dark chocolate on it.  Delicious.  Everything one could have hoped for on purchase.  This drinks well on its own but would be great at the dinner table with Roasted Lamb.  It still

2018 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage Blanc, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
100
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$340.00USD

This started a bit tight, but with three hours of air, this was absolutely singing.  80% Marsanne with 20% Rousanne grapes from multiple vineyards.  Golden in color with some green hues, clear and bright.  The nose initially shows tightly with limes, some melons and spice.  With air, more notes come out; salinity, butterscotch, almonds but also more melons and slight lemons.  Really complex.  Great "slick" texture with pin point balance and energy.  The palate mirrors the nose and really explodes with lots of air.  Melons, quince, spice, minerality and a bit of almonds on the finish.  Layer

2019 Nicolas Joly Clos de la Coulée de Serrant, France, Loire, Savennières,Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
98
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$135.00USD

Wow.  Great showing for this.  And, as good as it was on opening, it was even better with a few hours of air!  Golden yellow in color, clear and bright.  The nose has honey, salinity, and crushed shells.  Full bodied.  Slightly sweet with some Botrytis.  On the palate, orange rind, minerality, with good acidity.  A bit of almonds on the finish.  This is complex and deep.  Drinking well with a couple hours of air, this should improve over the next ten years.  It should easily go three more decades.  Just a stunning wine.  It will work with more savory dessert such as a polenta cake but is qu

2003 Château Mouton Rothschild, France, Bordeaux, Pauillac, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2003
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$595.00USD

It is always a pleasure to drink a first Growth.  2003 was an extremely hot vintage all across Europe.   This vintage is a blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  Great nose.  A bit of funk, some cigar, plenty of cassis, and leather.  Full bodied.  Light tannins.  On the palate, this seems about at peak maturity.  Plenty of depth.  Layers of cassis with some tobacco notes and earthiness.  Long finish.  Just a fantastic wine.  This drinks great on its own and would work well with roasted meats or veggies.  It w

2006 Pierre-Marie Chermette Domaine Vissoux Beaujolais Vieilles Vignes Cuvée Traditionnelle, France, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2006
Score: 
89
Grade: 
B+

Does Beaujolais age?  This was opened at a recent tasting of Beaujolais to show that it really does.  Not even a specific Cru, with the original $15 price sticker still on the bottle, this was fresh and drinking well.  Is it an amazing wine?  No, but it is solid and enjoyable.  Ruby in color with some darker swirls.  The nose has fresh cherry fruit and slight candy.  Medium bodied.  No tannins.  On the palate, cherries with some depth.  Good acidity.  Nice finish.  This drinks nicely on its own and would work great with a mushroom pizza.  

2019 Château de La Chaize Brouilly, France, Beaujolais, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$25.99USD

A new winery for me.  This is very nice.  Garnet in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose has cherries, slight candied cherries and slighter citrus.  Medium bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, this has tart acidity.  Cherries with slight citrus.  Nice finish.  This drinks well on its own and will work well with food.  A nice wine with Mushroom Quiche.  Drink over the next five to eight years.  A great value!

2020 Louis Jadot Morgon Côte du Py Château des Jacques, France, Beaujolais, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2020
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$32.00USD

In a recent tasting of Cru Beaujolais, this was my top rated wine.  It is a big wine, but has the structure to hang the fruit on and everything is in proportion.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim, mostly opaque and bright.  Great nose.  Some oak showing but not overbearing.  Cherries, black cherries, dark chocolate, slight spice and even a floral tone.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Black cherries, cherries, a bit of anise and dark chocolate.  Long finish.  This drinks great on its own, but will work well with most foods.  It would be a nice choice with a C

2019 Château du Moulin-a-Vent Moulin-à-Vent Couvent des Thorins, France, Beaujolais, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
89
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$26.00USD

Garnet in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is nice with cherries.  Light to medium bodied.  Light tannins.  Good acidity.  On the palate, nice cherry fruit.  Nice on its own, this will work well with food.  A nice choice with pizza.  While there are better values in Beaujolais, the wine is a middle of the road in style, easy drinking wine.

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