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

2018 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie Brune et Blonde, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$73.00USD

Having just recently tasted the 2017, it was interesting to try the 2018.  For my tastes, this was just a bit better than the 2017, but that is probably because it is more open and accessible.  Purple in color with ruby swirls, mostly clear and bright.  Very nice nose with black raspberries, black pepper, spice, slight fresh cut lumber and slight violets.  Medium to full bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, this is drinking well if young.  Lots of black raspberry fruit.  Depth but tight.  Underlying char and spice.  A fair amount of oak on the finish.  This will get better and holding ano

2014 Domaine Raymond Usseglio & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Impériale, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2014
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$121.00USD

This is 95% Grenache.  Ruby/purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with black cherries, cherries, char and floral notes.  Medium to full bodied.  Light tannins.  Great texture.  On the palate, this has lovely black cherry fruit, some cherries and spice.  Nice finish.  This seems to be about at peak at this point.  It should drink well for another five to eight years, but won't get better.  Nice on its own, this will be better with food.  A nice wine with beef stew.  

2005 Dominique Laurent Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Beaumonts Vieilles Vignes, France, Burgundy, Cotes du Nuits, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2005
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A

Great showing for this Premier Cru from the excellent 2005 vintage.  Ruby/purple in color, clear and bright.  The nose is nice with cherries, chervil and spice.  Medium bodied. On the palate, this is bigger than on the nose.  Cherries, black cherries with some spice.  Long finish.  Drinking well at age 17, this should go another ten to fifteen more years.  Better with food, this would work well with a seared Tuna Steak with a seared crust.

2020 Maison Albert Bichot Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Nuits, France, Burgundy, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2020
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-

These wines don't seem to get the respect that other Bourgogne's get and that is a shame.  This was delicious.  It is more understated, but that is not a bad thing in Burgundy.  Light ruby in color, clear and bright.  The nose is nice with cranberries, rhubarb, cherries and slight char.  Medium bodied.  A bit riper on the palate with cherries and slight rhubarb.  Light tannins.  Sour/tart cherries on the finish.  This works better with food than on its own.  Sweet and sour Pork would work well. 

2018 Paul Thevenin Volnay 1er Cru, France, Burgundy, Cotes du Beaune, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$70.00USD

This is from a small producer in the south of burgundy.  Light ruby in color, clear and bright.  The nose is nice with cherries, char and slight green/herbal notes.  Medium bodied.  Wispy tannins.  This is better on the palate with elegant cherry fruit.  Slightly complex.  Good finish.  This is a delightful Pinot Noir that drinks well on its own and is also great with food.  A nice wine for Roasted Duck.  

2011 Agrapart Champagne Grand Cru Minéral Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut, France, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2011
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$127.00USD

A nice showing especially considering the vintage.  Light golden in color.  A steady stream of smaller bubble.  The nose is clean with good minerality and slight pear notes.  Full bodied but overall the wine is more on the delicate side.  Clean.  On the palate, slight pear and nice minerality as well.  Long finish.  This should drink well over the next eight to ten years.  Very food friendly.  Nice to open a bottle of this with some popcorn.  

2011 Larmandier-Bernier Champagne Grand Cru Vieille Vigne du Levant Extra Brut, France, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2011
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$120.00USD

A difficult vintage in Champagne, but this one is drinking very well.  Golden in color, clear and bright.  A persistent bead of small bubbles form a nice mousse.  The nose is big with apples, pears, yeast and salinity.  Full bodied but good acidity.  On the palate, apples, salinity and slight yeast.  Long finish.  Delicious.  This is drinking well but should easily go another five to eight years.  Very food friendly, this would be very nice with spicy Thai food.  

2017 Les Halos de Jupiter Châteauneuf-du-Pape Adrastee, France, Rhone Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
96
Grade: 
A

From the late Phillipe Cambie, this is 100% destemmed Grenache.  Purple in color with ruby swirls, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with black raspberries, black cherries, graphite, spices and roasted meat.  Full bodied.  Light tannins.  On the palate, black cherries with great minerality.  Not as big a wine as one might expect from Cambie.  Deep.  Delicious.  Nice finish.  Drink over the next ten years.  Nice on its own, but better with food.  This would work well with fried chicken.  

2017 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$85.00USD

Purple in color, ruby at the rim, opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with plums, black pepper, and black cherries.  Full bodied.  Lovely texture.  On the palate, plums and cherries with slight char.  Clean.  Good balance.  Long finish.  This is young and showing ripe fruit.  It is drinking well but may improve with a few more years of cellaring.  Drink over the next ten to twelve years.  it will work well with braised meats.  

2000 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2000
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$105.00USD

This is a blend of 30% Grenache, 30% Mourvedre, 10% Syrah, 10% Counoise, and the rest is the other permitted varietals.  At age 22, it is showing some age and a bit past prime.  This bottle had been bought on release and well cellared.  Ruby/brown in color, clear and bright.  The nose has cherries, dried cherries, soy/umami, and spice.  Medium bodied.  There are some drying tannins left.  Better on the palate.  Complex with layers of dried and fresh cherries.  Good balance.  Nice finish.

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