White Rhones can be tricky, but this one was hitting on all cylinders from the get-go.  This is made from the Marsanne grape.

Silvery gold in color, clear and bright.  The nose is nice with limes, slight orange peel, and a slightly burnt note.  Nice, slightly oily texture.  This is dry.  On the palate, limes and a slight bitter almond note.  There is a bit of depth here.  It needs to food to show its best.  Goat cheeses would work well, say a Goat Cheese and Beet salad.  Drink over the next three to five years.  

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

A blend of 80% Corvina and 20% Rondinella.  Deep garnet in color.  Slightly flat.  The nose is nice with stewed fruits, figs, cherries and spices.  Full bodied.  Nice acidity.  On the palate, prunes, cherries and spice.  Depth.  Nice finish.  This is drinking well now.  It is dry but with a feeling of sweetness.  Nice finish.  This is nice on its own but better with food.  It would work well with Eggplant Parmesan.  Drink over the next seven to ten years.  

Basic Bottling.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with cassis, leather, slight cedar.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  Very concentrated.  On the palate, this is just hitting maturity.  Cassis with some leather notes.  Good energy and balance.  Nice finish.  A classic Napa Cab.  Drink over the next ten to fifteen years.  A nice match with grilled meats or just on its own.  

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

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.  

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!

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

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.