France

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One of the great Chateauneufs Du Pape and from a great vintage.  This is 100 percent Grenache.  Ruby/purple in color, clear and bright.  The nose is very nice with cherries, spices and "garrique".  On the palate, black cherries.  The depth seems a bit lacking for the pedigree but perhaps is is a bit shut down at this point.  It is a delicious wine and enjoyable.  It's more of under-performing high expectations.  Tasted twice over the last six months with consistent notes.  It is food friendly but will take heartier stews and meat dishes.  

Nice to revisit this wine.  It had been about 4 years since it was last tried and it hasn't really changed.  It is open and drinking quite well.  This is a big wine that one might peg for California if drinking blind.  Of course, 2005 was an excellent and ripe vintage.  Vibrant garnet in color.  The nose is dusty, slightly earthy with nice cherries and a bit of plums.  What a lovely texture.  Soft yet structured at the same time.  On the palate, layers of cherries, slight smoke and earthiness.  Nice acidity.  Long finish.  This would pair with everything from hearty seafood to a steak.  No

An excellent bottle of Champagne.  Light golden in color with a nice mousse of fine bubbles.  On the palate, this has red apples, slight ginger, minerals and a bit of saline.  On the palate, this is a bigger wine.  More so than prior vintages which is not bad or good.  It is still a very crisp wine which is a good thing.  Slight citrus, slight green apples and lots of minerality.  A long/tart finish.  This will go with a wide variety of foods and is delicious on its own.  At $60 per bottle, this is fairly priced.  

Deep ruby in color.  The nose has cherries and slight strawberries.  Good acidity.  On the palate, strawberries.  A bit of orange peel on the finish.  The finish is long and tart (in a good way).  A very refreshing bottle of Champagne.  A bit less complex but at the same time, it has a very nice intensity to it.  Very food friendly with almost any food.  12.5% Alc.  

Tasted from a 375ml bottle.  Light golden in color. The nose is nice with pineapples, honey and bit of peach.  Also some vanilla.  On the palate, this is viscous and rich.  Not cloying but a little goes a long way.  Good acidity that cuts through the sweetness.  The pineapple carries thru.  Nice finish.  Probably best on its own or with some cheeses at the end of a meal.  This should last for a couple of decades.  

Cos d'Estournel is one of the great wines of Bordeaux and so, one of the great wines of the world.  2008 is a vintage that doesn't always get the respect that it deserve coming right before the pair of great vintages 2009 and 2010.  It is also a bit more backward than its reputation and so the wines don't always show that well at this point.  They will.  This one is drinking well but patience will certainly be rewarded.  It needs a few more years in the cellar to get to peak.  Purple in color.  The nose is nice with cassis and soy sauce.  Also some baking spice.  On the palate, this has med

This is delicious if young today.  Just a wonderful dessert wine.  And a wine that will out live all of us.  This is Chenin Blanc at its best.  Light golden in color.  The nose has ocean air, some crushed shells, orange peel and honey.  With air some poached pear notes emerge.  On the palate, this is slightly viscous.  It is sweet but short of cloying.  Enough acidity to balance.  Flavors of honey and baked apples.  Long finish.  Delicious in small amounts.  This goes well with ripe cheese or a savory cake.  

An outstanding CdP.  A blend of 60% Grenache, 25% Mourvèdre and the rest Counoise, Vaccarèse and Muscardin.  This is ripe, juicy and delicious if not the "classic" CdP in style.  Purple in color, ruby swirls.  On the nose this has boysenberries, sandalwood, char and slight floral notes.  On the palate, this is juicy with big boysenberry fruit.  There is a nice under layer of spice.  Long finish.  One of those wines that each sip tastes so good you want to have another.  It will be interesting to see this age and lose the baby fat.  Probably should last another fifteen years anyway.  Will wo

Excellent wine that really needs some time.  Lots of upside potential here.  Light golden in color.  The nose is fat (for Chablis) with red fugi apples over a nice chalky base.  On the palate, this has a soft texture with good if not great acidity.  It is delicious.  Lots going on with tight layers of complexity.  Long finish.  Perhaps not a classic sort of Chablis, yet, it is an outstanding chardonnay.  

This is an outstanding Chablis that shows the vintage very well.  Lean yet, powerful.  Light silvery/gold in color.  The nose is classic with green apples.  Nice minerality too.  On the palate, this broadens across the palate, yet has nice green apple notes with good acidity.  An underlying minerality too.  It presents almost as two styles at the same time.  Delicious though.  Will work with lighter foods, seafood and poultry dishes.  Still young and has some upside.