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

2018 Château Fortia Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée du Baron, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$37.00USD

This is a luxury cuvee for this wine who make a few different CdP's.  It is a blend of 40% Grenache, 40% Syrah, and 20% Mourvedre.  Purple in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has raspberries, black cherries, garrigue, pepper and black olives.  Full Bodied.  On the palate, this is drinking well now.  Very concentrated notes of black cherries and black raspberries with underlying pepper and smoke.  This has a long finish.  It will improve over the next five to seven years but either way will drink well for the next twelve to fifteen years.  Great on its own, but better with grilled

2018 Domaine de Ferrand Châteauneuf-du-Pape, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
89
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$50.00USD

This is a blend of 90% Grenache and 10% a field blend.  It is quite tight and shut down at the moment so if drinking soon, give it about six hours of air or more.  Deep ruby in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose has cherries and garrigue.  With air a bit of lavender comes out.  On the palate, this has a lovely silky texture.  The fruit is quite tight but there are black cherries and black raspberries with a bit of black licorice and anise.  Everything feels right about this wine but it just isn't showing much at the moment.  Give it another five to seven years and then it should be o

2018 Chateau de Vaudieu Châteauneuf-du-Pape, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$40.00USD

I don't recall ever tasting a wine from this producer before.  This is a blend of 80% Grenache noir 20% Syrah.  Purple in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose seems older with dust, dried cherries but also some black raspberries and garrigue.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, black cherries and dried fruits.  Moderate finish.  This seems like a wine to drink in the near term, maybe over the next three to five years.  It will work well with pasta or stews.  

2018 Saint Cosme Châteauneuf-du-Pape, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$50.00USD

This is one of, if not the best, producer of Gigondas, but they also make great Chateauneuf.  It is a blend of 50% Grenache, 30% Mourvèdre, 15% Syrah, and 5% Cinsault.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has prunes, cherries, garrigue and slight floral notes.  Medium bodied.  Young but nice complexity.  Tight layers or  plums, spice and earth.  Lively.  Nice finish.  This needs a couple more years until peak but should drink well for the next twelve to fifteen years.  

2018 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape Télégramme, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$48.00USD

This is the second wine of Vieux Telegraphe.  Dark garnet in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is nice with spices, garrigue, and black cherries.  It has a soft but inviting texture.  Black cherry fruit with baking spices.  A bit of cough syrup on the finish.  With air, just a touch of prunes.  The is drinking a bit better than the first wine at the moment and one to drink while waiting on the bigger 2018's.  It should drink well for another ten years.  This will work well with meats and fowl.  A burger would work well.  

2019 Clos du Mont-Olivet Côtes du Rhône Blanc, France, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$20.00USD

What an excellent value in white wine.  For $20, this was better than many white Chateauneuf's.  It is a blend of 90% Grenache Blanc and 10% Ugni Blanc.  Light golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose has minerals, wax, toast and spice.  Medium to full bodied.  On the palate, almonds, lemons, and wax notes with good acidity.  A bit of a bitter almond note on the finish.  The drinks well on its own and would work well with  food.  Fried chicken would be a good match.  Drink over the next few years.  

2002 Domaine Henri Gouges Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Pruliers, France, Burgundy, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2002
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-

Hard to beat Gouges for a combination of price, quality and ageability in Burgundy.  At age 19, this one is still youthful although drinking well.  Garnet in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is nice with cherries, some black cherries, slight sandalwood and just a hint of funk.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, this has depth and complexity.  Cherry fruit with some earthiness underneath.  Nice acidity.  Long finish.  This should continue to drink well for another decade.  It drinks well on its own but will work better with food.  Roast chicken would be a nice match.  

2020 Maison Lorgeril L'Orangeraie Syrah , France, Pays D'Oc, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2020
Score: 
87
Grade: 
B
Current Price: 
$16.00USD

This is 100% Syrah from France.  Garnet in color, ruby at the rim, mostly opaque and bright.  The  nose has some boysenberries and smoke.  Medium bodied with light tannins.  On the palate, cranberries, black cherries and some char.  Moderate finish.  This is a nice wine although I would have a hard time guessing Syrah if tasting blind.  It drinks easy and price right.  Drink over the next few years.  It would work well with Indian food.  

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