France

• Alsace
• Bergerac
• Bordeaux
  • Barsac
  • Bordeaux Supérieur
  • Margaux
  • Graves
  • Haut-Medoc
  • Listrac
  • Pauillac
  • Pomerol
  • Saint Emilion
  • Saint Estephe
  • Saint Julian
  • Sauternes
• Burgundy
  • Beaujolais
  • Bourgogne
  • Chablis
  • Côte de Nuits
  • Mercurey
• Cahors
• Champagne
• Cognac
• Corsica
• Gascony
• Jura
  • Arbois
• Languedoc-Roussillon
  • Minervois
• Loire Valley
  • Bourgueil
  • Jasnières
  • Muscadet
  • Mont Louis
  • Sancerre
  • Saumur
  • Savennières
  • Touraine
  • Vouvray
• Rhone (Rhône)
  • Châteauneuf-du-Pape
  • Cornas
  • Crozes-Hermitage
  • Gigondas
  • Hermitage
  • Lirac
  • Saint Joseph
• Provence
  • Bandol
• Savoie
• Tavel

This is an example of why to buy and cellar "lesser" wines in great vintages.  This is certainly improved since the last time I had it in 2010.  Right now it seems to be at peak.  It probably should be consumed in the next couple of years but should last longer.  Purple in color, with ruby swirls.  The wine took about 20 minutes to shed some bottle stink and then kept opening for the next hour at which point is plateaued until the bottle was emptied.  The nose is great with boysenberries, raspberries, roasted meat, spice and slight floral notes.  With air a bit of roasted herbs as well.  On

What a great value.  This wine is in a wonderful place right now.  Still youthful with some upside but delicious.  Purple in color.  The nose has black raspberries, black olives, slight bacon fact and slight violets.  On the palate, there is a lot of fruit here.  Black raspberries.  Also plenty of depth.  It unwinds in the glass with layers of fruit and earth.  Delicious.  It got better and better with air.  Worked grteat with food.  A Fass Selection wine.  

Hard for me to score this since I have no real frame of reference.  Given though that it was made the year I graduated from high school.  That I bought it at the winery in Alsace.  And that I was sharing it with friends who apprecciated it, it gets an easy A.

Very nice showing.  Perhaps a bit past prime, but very good nonetheless.  Golden in color.  The nose has a very slight oxidation to it.  Minerals, limes, slight wax, slight melon notes.  On the palate, this has a nice, slightly oily texture.  Melons and waxy notes.  Slightly burnt orange peel.  Nice finish.  The fruit is persistent but certainly no longer boisterous.  It wored well with vegetarian matzoh ball soup. Still, I would drink these sooner than later at this point.  

What a week.  My second time trying this amazing Champagne.  I opened this bottle about an hour prior to serving and I think it helped it.  It seemed to bring out more fruit.  Light golden in color.  The nose is great with a bit of toast, pears, green apples and minerals.  On the palate, there is a tartness I didn't get previously.  Tart green apples which I really enjoyed.  Minerals.  Slight lemon notes.  This is deep.  It explodes on the palate.  So smooth and easy though.  An amazingly long finish.  Just a baby, this has years left to maturity.  

This is young and tight.  Light golden in color.  The nose is nice with peach and minerals.  On the palate, this is rich.  Not quite the acid I might like but plenty of delicious fruit and enough acidity.  Good finish.  It will be interesting to see how well this ages out.  I would think it improves from here, but would drink it in the first 10 - 12 years of life.  

Checking on a 2005 Burgundy.  Not ready yet.  Ruby/purple in color.  The nose is nice but primary with cherries and spice.  On the palate, this has cherries, slight tannins and spice.  Pretty monolithic at this stage but it eventually opens with air.  Hold these for now.  

From a 375ml bottle.  This was very impressive.  Drinking very well.  Deep golden in color.  The nose has honey and burnt orange peel.  On the palate, this is sweet not cloying.  Thick and unctuouos with good acidity.  The burnt orange notes continue on the palate, also apricots and slight honey.  Long finish.  Impressive.  

What can you say about d'Yquem?  An amazing wine.  The nose has honey and crem brulee.  Unctuous.  Sweet not cloying.  THe honey and crem brulee continue thru to the palate.  A slight burnt note which I enjoy.  A finish that goes on forever.  Gorgeous wine.  

Really nice showing for this first growth from an under appreciated vintage IMO.  Ruby in color with purple swirls.  The nose is great.  Classic.  Cassis, barnyard, cigar tobacco and slight cherries.  On the palate, this took some time to open and then kept on opening.  It started a bit hollow, but kept putting on weight.  Cassis with layers of dry forest floor and funk.  Good balance.  Nice finish.  Food friendly.  Always a treat.