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

2009 Domaine Cheysson Chiroubles, France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2009
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-

2009 was such a great vintage in Beaujolais.  This bottle was purchased on release and stored well since.  It is drinking great.  Over two nights, it was actually a bit more interesting on night 2.  Deep ruby/purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose has cherries, sour cherries, slight spice and slight damp forest floor.  On the palate, the sour cherries come out.  Great texture.  Depth with some complexity.  Blind, one might be tempted to guess Oregon Pinot Noir.  Long tart finish.  This is very food friendly for all but the hearties of dishes.  While it certainly won't get better from h

2005 Château La Croix St. Georges, France, Pomerol, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2005
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$120.00USD

Nice to check in on this.  That said, this bottle, purchased from retail on release had a significant amount of brett on it.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose has some band-aid, slight barnyard, cassis, slight blueberries, and cedar.  On the palate, this was decanted and much but not all of the brett blew off.  It shows nice fruit with tight layers of barnyard and earth.  Medium tannins.  Long finish.  A cleaner bottle can certainly go longer, but given how this showed, it might be better to open a bottle and see how it is doing.  Especially if you have more than one.  It needs b

2007 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Richebourg, France, Burgundy, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2007
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$2500.00USD

Opened about an hour before the tasting and allowed to breathe. Purple/ruby in color. The nose is beautiful with a nice earthiness (mostly clean), baking spices, cherries (red and black). On the palate there is a juicy acidity that gives way to a lush texture and big fruit. Dark and red cherries but also some clay and spice show thru as well. Tight layers that unwind in the glass. Long finish. Certainly needs time or air, but drinking great right now.

2016 Jean Biecher et Fils Altenberg de Bergheim, France, Alsace, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
89
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$20.00USD

An interesting blend of Gewurztraminer and Riesling.  It was sold for $20 which is a nice value.  Light gold/green in color.  Oddly, this seems to have some trapped CO2 in the bottle as it shows up on the glass if the not the palate.  Neither varietal seems to be very pronounced on the nose, although both show up a bit.  Slight lychee, apricot and minerals.  On the palate, this is viscous.  A perception of sweetness but seems dry though ripe.  Lychees and apricots.  Good finish.  Will work well with Indian or Thai food.  

2012 Bosquet des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Tradition, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2012
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$50.00USD

Ruby/purple in color.  The nose has cherries, slight cough syrup, some anise and spice.  Nice.  On the palate, this has a lovely juicy but velvety texture.  Cherries and cherry cough syrup with some underlying spices.  Nice finish.  Very food friendly.  This still is a bit young and another few years of cellaring will be beneficial.  If not,, give it some air now.  

2001 Château Climens, France, Bordeaux, Sauternes, Barsac, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
99
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$240.00USD

2001 was such a great vintage and the wines from Sauternes or Barsac are in a gorgeous place right now.  Golden orange in color.  The nose is beautiful with honey and apricots.  Slightly sweet on the palate.  Oranges and apricots with honey.  Viscous with a nice backbone of acidity.  Long finish.  This is complex and layered and demands ones attention.  The first sip tastes good, then evolves on the palate and just does not let go.  Works great with blue cheese or a savory dessert.  

2015 Clos Saint Jean Châteauneuf-du-Pape Deus-Ex Machina, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
98
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$125.00USD

This is young but wonderful.  It should improve a bit over the next couple of years.  Ruby in color, clear and bright.  Great nose of black cherries, cloves, black olives and black pepper.  Lovely juicy full (glycerin) texture.  On the palate, black cherries and in a really good way, light cherry cough syrup.  Some vanilla.  Long finish.  This has plenty of depth but its hard to find layers at this young stage.  Still, it is delicious and would work with hearty foods.  Better yet, wait 3 to 5 years and drink over the next ten or so.  

2003 Château Pavie, France, Bordeaux, Saint Emilion, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2003
Score: 
98
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$250.00USD

Gorgeous wine.  This was controversial on release for being too big and bold, but I think it would be less so today.  Maybe not.  It is still a ripe wine but not overblown or raisiny, etc.  Just a gorgeous expression of Merlot.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose is initially tight but opens quickly showing dusty cherries, slight mocha ad roasted herbs.  On the palate, black cherries layered with dry earth and just a hint of cocoa powder.  Great plush yet juicy texture.  This is deep with tight layering that unwind in the glass.  Long finish.  It probably won't get better but will

2002 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, France, Bordeaux, Pauillac, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2002
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$129.97USD

Nice wine.  From an easy to drink vintage that may have been the last reasonably priced vintage across the board in Bordeaux.  Even the best ones should be drunk sooner than later and while this is in that category, at age 16, it offered up a very nice wine.  Purple/ruby in color.  The nose is clean with some cassis and slight herbal note.  On the palate, nice one dimensional cassis fruit.  A bit shallow but still fresh.  Not a lot of development here and no funk, tobacco, or other tertiary qualities but what is here is quality.  

2000 Château Léoville Poyferré, France, Bordeaux, Saint Julian, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2000
Score: 
97
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$185.00USD

Great wine and in a great place.  Still has plenty of life left but fantastic right now.  Purple in color, although a bit dull at the ruby rim.  The nose is fantastic; cassis, cigar box, cherries and dust.  With air it brings some funk in a beautiful way.  On the palate, cassis, dry earth and slight spice.  Complex and tightly layered it unwinds quickly in the glass.  Long finish.  This would be ideal with heavier or meat based dishes.  Truly a contemplative wine and everything you could hope for back when this wine was released.  

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