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

2021 Domaine Huet Vouvray Sec Le Haut-Lieu, France, Loire, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2021
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$33.00USD

One of the best dry white wines out there.  Consistently and fairly priced.  Light golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose has minerality along with orange peel and red apples.  Medium bodied.  Good acidity.  Slightly creamy texture.  On the palate, this is crisp and tasty.  Flavors of minerals, apples with slight citrus.  Long finish.  This is great on its own and very food friendly.  It would go well with fried chicken.  Drink over the next ten to twelve years.  

2019 Domaine du Grand Tinel Châteauneuf-du-Pape, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-

This is consistently a great value in CdP and the 2019 is no exception. A blend of 80% Grenache, 17% Syrah and 3% Mourvedre, this is a refreshing and food wine.  Deep ruby in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose has raspberries and cherries with a slight earthiness.  Medium bodied.  Light tannins.  On the palate, there is some depth here.  Bright red fruit flavors.  Good acidity.  Nice finish.  This is nice on its own and better with food.  A great choice for Pizza night.  Drink over the next five years.

2020 François Chidaine Sauvignon Touraine, France, Loire, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2020
Score: 
89
Grade: 
B+

This is from the "middle" sections of the Loire Valley in France.  It is a Sauvignon Blanc that is different from other versions made around the world.  Light golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose is mineral driven with just a hint of limes.  Clean.  Medium bodied.  Good acidity.  On the palate, the minerality comes thru.  Nice finish.  This wine needs food.  It works with cheeses and would be great with chicken salad.  Drink up.  

2005 Château Guiraud, France, Bordeaux, Sauternes, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$60.00USD

Nice to revisit this wine.  From a 750ml.   Amber in color, clear and bright.  The nose has honey, ginger and peach.  Slightly viscous.  The palate is sweet with good acidity.  Flavors of honey and peach.  Long finish.  Drink over the  next ten to fifteen years.  It will works well with short bread cookies.

2008 Trimbach Riesling Reserve, France, Alsace, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2008
Score: 
87
Grade: 
B

This is a relatively inexpensive (although the price has probably doubled since this was released) Riesling from one of the top producers in Alsace.  At age 16, it is drinking nicely.  Light golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose is clean, no petrol, with some apples, light citrus and a hint of minerality.  Medium bodied.  Slightly viscous.  Moderate acidity.  On the palate, this is dry.  Apples and minerals.  Some lemons.  Moderate finish.  This is past prime but still offering up something.  Drink up.  This is better with food.  It worked with a Spinach-Artichoke dip.  No easy feat.

NV Moët & Chandon Champagne White Star, France, Wine Review

Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$40.00USD

Sometimes it is easy to forget just how good this wine is.  No, it's not Dom Perignon, but it is very good and very available.  Light golden in color, a nice mousse of very tiny bubbles, clear and bright.  The nose is nice with apples, toast and slight chalk.  Medium bodied.  Good acidity.  On the palate, this has slight oxidation with apples and slight char.  Good finish.  This is very food friendly and will work with just5 about any food.  It went well with vegetable quiche.  One issue to be careful of is that this is sold everywhere.  Make sure of good storage and try to make sure this i

2015 Château Fonbadet, France, Bordeaux, Pauillac, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$35.00USD

This estate provides some real value  in Bordeaux especially in the good (expensive) vintages.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is great with black cherries, cassis, cigar box and spice.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, this is showing a nice complexity.  It should still develop more but is getting closer to peak.  Cassis with spice and char.  Long finish.  This is nice on its own but better with food.  It would work well with Lamb Stew.  Drink over the next eight to ten years.

2016 Domaine Grand Veneur Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
98
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$150.00USD

This house and this wine don't seem to get the attention that they deserve despite the critics loving them.  It is a blend of 45% Grenache, 45% Mourvedre and 10% Syrah.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is big with black raspberries, black cherries, slight plums, spices, floral notes and roasted meats.  Full bodied.  Light tannins.  Great energy.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Complex.  Layers of black raspberries, plums and black cherries with some char and spice.  Long finish.  This is getting close to peak and should drink well for another eight to twelve years.  Great

2019 François Chidaine Montlouis-sur-Loire Clos du Breuil, France, Loire, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$40.00USD

Chidaine is a favorite Loire producer of ours.  Excellent wines for not crazy money.  Light golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose is great with chalk/minerals along with pears and lemon rind.  Medium bodied.  Nice acidity.  Great texture.  On the palate, minerality with pears.  Long finish.  This is nice on its own and even better with food.  This would be great with a goat cheese and roasted beet salad.  Drink over the next eight to twelve years. 

2008 Château La Confession, France, Bortdeaux, Saint Emilion, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2008
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$86.00USD

This is a blend of 66% Merlot and 34% Cabernet Franc.  It is consistently a great value in Right Bank Bordeaux and in good vintages (such as 2008) it often out performs the vintage.  Purple in color with some ruby swirls, opaque and bright.  The nose has black cherries, cherries, coffee, slight chocolate and cigar box.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, this is approaching peak.  Some complexity and depth.  Flavors of black cherries, cherries, spice, chocolate and char.  Good finish.  This will be better with food.  It should work great with Lamb.  Drink over the next ten years.

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