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 wine was controversial on release due to its ripeness and size.  At age 16, it is still a big wine but starting to settle down a bit.  Just a bit.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has black raspberries, black cherries, toast, spice, black pepper and leather.  Full bodied.  Wonderful velvety/jammy texture.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Firm tannins.  Lots of black raspberry and cassis, some blueberries with spice and underlying leather.  It certainly may be atypical from St.

This is a blend of 70% Merlot, 17% Cabernet Franc, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 6% Malbec.  Pop and pour, this took about an hour and then was drinking quite well.  Purple in color, thin ruby rim, opaque and bright.  The  nose is nice with black cherries, cigar box, slight dark chocolate, a bit of leather.  Medium to full bodied.  On the palate, cherries, black cherries and coffee with a bit of dried tobacco.  Good balance.  Seems to be almost or at peak at this point.  Great on its own, this will work well with prime rip or other roasted meats.  Drink over the next five to ten years.  

This is in a great place right now (as seem to be many of the top 2005 CdP's).  Garnet in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has black cherries, slight black raspberries, char, black pepper, nutmeg and black pepper.  With air some dried flowers and roasted meats.  Full bodied.  Complex and layered.  This is a big, "masculine" styled type of CdP.  On the palate, black cherries, with layers of forest floor, spice and earth.  Lively acidity.  Good balance.  Long finish.  This bottle is at peak but should have another five to seven years at this level.  Great on its own, it will be even

A nice value in red Burgundy  (Pinot Noir) wine from a top negociant.  Ruby in color, magenta swirls, clear and bright.  The nose has cherries, some sandalwood and a bit of nutmeg.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, nice, easy drinking, cherry flavors.  Short finish.  This drinks well on its own and will work nicely with salmon or lighter foods.  Drink over the next couple of years.  

This is a blend of 85% Grenache and then 5% each of Syrah, Mourvèdre and Vaccarese.  At age 16 it is just about at peak and drinking beautifully.  Garnet in color, clear and bright.  The nose has cherries, raspberries, licorice, slight roasted herbs and spice.  Medium to full  bodied.  This is the elegant side of Chateauneuf.  On the palate, its about red fruits with some underlying spice, char and herbs.  Complex and layered, it unwinds in the glass.  Lots of energy and precision.  Nice finish.  Drinks great on its own but will work well with food.  It will work well with Chinese or simila

Light golden in color, lots of tiny bubbles, clear and bright.  Nice mousse.  The nose is toasty with some green apples.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, this is very nice.  Toasty with apples.  Nice acidity.  The finish is a bit clipped.  Overall, a fine, less expensive Champagne that would be nice for parties.  It drinks well on its own and will work well with canopies.  Drink over the next year or two.

This is a nice Syrah from the Northern Rhone that is not expensive and drinking well now.  Garnet in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is tight at first but opens quickly showing black cherries, char, slight black raspberries and slight black olive.  Medium bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, black cherries with char and good acidity.  Nice finish.  This should drink well for the next five to seven years.  A nice wine with pizza or a (veggie) burger.  

Light golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose is nice with minerals, orange peel and crushed shells.  Medium bodied.  Slight sweetness.  Lots of minerality with some salinity.  Good acidity.  Long finish.  Drinking quite well now.  Nice on its own and will work with lighter salads.  Drink over the next five to eight years.  

This has always been one of my favorite value Bordeaux wines almost always hitting above its weight class.  This is no exception.  Purple in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has some nice funk with black cherries, and slight green bell pepper.  Medium bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, black cherries, some cherries with just a hint of bell pepper and black pepper.  Nice balance.  Nice finish.  This needs some time and food to shine.  Give it a nice decant or a few years in the cellar.  Drink over the next ten.  It will work well with a beef stew or cassoulet.  

Tasted from two bottle, one seemed off due to heat/poor storage while the other was fine.  The off bottle had raisin notes, brown sugar and balsamic.  The better bottle was purple with ruby swirls, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is peppery with black cherries and char.  Tannic.  On the palate, the black cherries and char come thru.  This is tight and needs some air right now.  A bit of warmth on the finish.  Drink over the next ten years.  This will work better with food although it can be drunk on its own.