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

2016 Champagne Christophe Baron Champagne Le Dessus du Bois Marie Crouttes-sur-Marne Brut Nature, France, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$300.00USD

This is available only in Magnum.  The vines were planted in 1966.  Silvery/gold in color with a nice mousse of very tiny bubbles.  The nose is great with biscuits, pears, slight lemon peel and minerality.  Great backbone of acidity.  Full bodied but not blowsy.  On the palate, despite being Brut Nature there is a slight sweetness which is more ripeness than residual sugar.  The lemon peel comes thru along with a great minerality.  Long finish.  This is really delicious and still young.  It should improve but is great today.  Drink over the next ten to fifteen years (more if you like older

2015 Bernard Burgaud Côte-Rôtie, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$78.00USD

Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is deep with boysenberries, black pepper, spice and roasted meats.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, this is very concentrated.  It opens in the glass nicely though.  Boysenberries with char and some black pepper.  Good finish.  This is drinking well but not yet at peak.  Drink over the next ten years.  It will work well with roasted veggies or roasted meats and also went well with Moroccan food.  

2011 Domaine du Pégau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2011
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$96.00USD

A blend of 80% Grenache, 6% Syrah, and 4% Mourvedre plus another 10% in various permitted varietals.  Not the best vintage, but this wine rocked.  At age 13, it was close to peak.  Deep ruby in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose has black cherries, herbs (Garrique), slight black pepper and spices.  Great texture.  Light tannins.  On the palate, this is vibrant and complex.  Also delicious.  Cherries, black cherries and spices.  Deep.  Long finish.  Great on its own, this will work well with meat dishes.  Cassoulet is classic.  Drink over the next five to ten years.  

1966 Château Durfort-Vivens, France, Bordeaux, Margaux, Wine Revview

Vintage: 
1966
Score: 
70
Grade: 
C-
Current Price: 
$1000.00USD

Taken from a less than ideal cellar, but the fill was mid-shoulder and it looked ok.  Turned out, it was.  Brick red in color but clear and more importantly, bright.  The nose is slightly earthy but there are cherries and a slight perfume note.  Medium bodied with good acidity.  No tannins.  On the palate, this is of course, old and past prime, but there is still some fruit left.  Cherries, dried cherries and earth.  Clipped finish.  Worth drinking a glass.  Probably not worth serving with food, more of an intellectual curiosity.  

1966 Château Duhart-Milon, France, Bordeaux, Pauillac, Wine Review

Vintage: 
1966
Score: 
60
Grade: 
D-
Current Price: 
$229.00USD

Taken from a less than ideal cellar.  Ullage was in the low shoulder.  Mostly brown (iced tea) in color but some ruby hues.  The nose was mushrooms along with a touch of dried cherries and slight cherry fruit.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, mostly dried fruit and mushrooms with a touch of sour cherries.  Something left but not enough to really bother.  Oh well.  

2022 Alain Jaume Côtes du Rhône Bellissime, France, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2022
Score: 
88
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$18.00USD

This rosé is a blend of 50% Grenache Noir, 25% Cinsault, 20% Syrah and 5% Mourvedre.  Light salmon pink in color, clear and bright.  The nose has light cherries and light strawberries.  Slightly viscous texture.  13.5% abv.  On the palate, this is clean with strawberries and a bit of spice.  Some minerality.  Moderate finish.  A pleasant wine that is nice on its own and certainly food friendly.  It would match well with a Niçoise salad.  Drink now.

2000 Château Talbot, France, Bordeaux, Saint-Julien, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2000
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$120.00USD

Purple in color with ruby swirls, Mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, cigar box and spice.  Medium to full bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, this has a nice complexity.  Drinking well and closer to maturity.  Layers of cassis, earth, tobacco with some char.  Nice finish.  This is drinking well now but will work better with food.  A Lamb stew would be a classic pairing.  Drink over the next eight to twelve years.  

2011 Château Léoville Poyferré, France, Bordeaux, Saint-Julien, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2011
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$98.00USD

From a difficult vintage, this was outstanding.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, black cherries, black olives, spice and slight graphite.  Medium to full bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, cassis, black cherries with some underlying earthiness.  Great acidity.  Long finish.  This is complex but needs some air to unwind.  Drink over the next ten to fifteen years.  Great on its own, but this will be better with food (but let it breather for a while prior to serving).  This would be great with lamb, of course, but a smoky, black bean burger would be very nice

2000 Château Branon, France, Bordeaux, Pessac-Leognan, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2000
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$149.00USD

This is from one of the early Garagiste (Garage wines) wineries.  Inky purple, ruby at the rim, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is earthy with cassis and a touch of brown sugar.  Plush texture.  Medium to firm tannins.  Long finish. Drinking well and close to maturity.  Drink over the next five to eight years.  This would work nicely with beef stroganoff.  

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