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

Rene Rostaing is one of the top producers of Cote Rotie in the Rhone valley.  This is from his Languedoc winery also known as Domaine de Puech Noble.  It is mostly Syrah with come Mourvedre and Grenache.  Ruby/purple in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is sweaty/earthy with some black raspberries and black cherries.  Soft texture.  Medium tannins.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, black cherry fruit.  This seems past prime based on this  bottle and needs to be consumed.  It will be better with food.  Meatloaf would be a good pairing.  

This is 100% Picpoul grapes from southern France.  Light gold in color with slight green hues, clear and bright.  The nose has a bit of sulfur/gunpowder on it but also nice lemon, and a bit of papaya.  Light bodied.  On the palate, tart green apple with some lemon.  Moderate finish.  This is ok on its own but really better with food.  It worked well with soft cheeses.  Drink now.  

Once one gets past the classified and top wines, Bordeaux makes a lot of wine and decent pricing that is very good.  This is 100% Merlot from Bordeaux.  Purple in color with ruby hues, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is deep with black cherries, char, and baking spice.  Medium bodied.  Medium tannins.  Moderate acidity.  On the palate, black cherry fruit with some spice and a bit of char/smoke.  Good finish.  This drinks nicely on its own but would be better with food.  A nice match might be a Chicken Pot Pie.  Drink over the next seven to ten years.  

This is Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valley in France.  Straw gold in color, clear and bright.  The nose is nice with a touch of lemons along with plenty of minerality.  Medium bodied.  Excellent balance and acidity.  On the palate, the minerality dominates but there is some lemon as well.  Clean, long finish.  This is nice on its own but probably better with food.  It would work well with fresh, Oysters.  Drink over the next few years.  

This bottle was oxidized.  Deep golden in color.  A fair amount of oak showing but no fruit.  A shame as there is often great value in the under $30 world of Bordeaux.  It is a blend of 80% Semillon and 20% Sauvignon Blanc.  The cork looked fine but something went wrong somewhere.  The current vintage is 2023, but even at age six years from vintage, it seems it should still be drinking well.  Oh well.