France: Wine, French Wine Regions, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, & More Profiled
My first time that I recall trying the Chatus grape. It is very interesting. Not too dismilar from Cinsault. Ruby/purple in color. The nose has cherries, dust and cranberries. On the palate, this is deep with a nice complexity. Tart cranberries and some cherries on the palate. This really worked better with food. A fun wine and a very good wine as well.
What an excellent wine. It seems mature but it keeps getting better so who knows. Purple in color with some ruby swirls. The nose is gorgeous with black and red cherries, spice and some barnyard. On the palate, layers of cherries and dark cherries with some earthy funky notes. Some licorice on the finish. There are some tannins. Great finish. This is deep and complex and improved all night. The price is unfortunately, hefty, but every once in a while, its worth it.
The 164 uses 2008 as a base. This is pehnominal albeit very young at the moment. Light golden in color. A beautiful mousse with a lot of tiny bubbles. The nose is great with slight toasted note with pears and slight lemon. Also an underlying minerality. With air a slight nutty note emerges. On the palate, this is deep and complex yet precise. It unwinds nicely in the glass. Lemony with slight orange notes. Minerals. Great acidity. Very pesistent and lemony finish. Amazing length. Great with food. This has penty of upside but is great right now. Excellent.
Seems to be in a bit of a dumb phase right now. Don't get me wrong, it is quite good but not as good as it can be. Light golden in color. The nose has some grapefruit and nice minerality. A bit of salinity. On the palate, this is good but not breaking out any complexities. Nice grapefruit and minerals. Good texture. Excellent with food. As good it is today, I would hold for a year or two or 8 and patience will be rewarded.
Nuscadets represent some of the best values in the wine world. This producer is so consistently good and the wines are ubiquitous it seems. Light golden in color. The nose is very nice with crushed shells and a nice sea air salinity. On the palate, great minerality. There is some lime fruit, but this is about the minerals. Good acidity. Nice finish. Perfect with sea food. Usually found under $20.
Purple in color, ruby at the rim. The nose is good with black cherries, cedar and slight cigar. On the palate, there is nice cherry fruit, some dark cherry. A bit of earthiness. Solid finish. Nice value.
Ruby/purple in color. The nose is earthy with cherries. On the palate, the cherries are tart finishing up a bit shrill. Not great depth. That said, there is something nice and comfortable about this wine. It is earthy with some tobacco notes. If under $12, there may be some value.
A very nice value in sparkling wine. This is a blend of Chardonnay (70%), Chenin (20%) and Pinot Noir (10%). Pink in color. A nice mousse of medium sized bubbles. On the nose a bit of strawberries and a bit or orange peel. On the palate, orange peel including a bit of bitterness along with some orange citrus. Slight strawberry note. This is a fun aprkler with enough acidity to work at the table. Good finish.
Ruby in color. Nice solid cherries on the nose. Medium bodied. Tart cherries on the palate. Light bodied. Good acidity. This really needs food to be at its best.
100% Pinot Noir (Blanc de Noirs) Champagne that got no dosage. It might be a bit austere for some, but I really enjoyed it. Light gold in color. The nose is all about minerality though there is some tart cherry notes. On the palate, this is lean and intense. Minerals with a slight tart cranberry note. Good depth. Nice finish. Would work well with foods.
