France: Wine, French Wine Regions, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, & More Profiled
Bichot makes a lot of Pinot in Burgundy, but this wine is from two different areas near Limoux in the foothills of the Pyrenees in Languedoc-Roussillon in the south of France.
This is 100% Chardonnay from France. The grapes are organically grown at 800 feet altitude. Pale gold in color, bright and clear. On the nose there is a fair amount of oak (spice, slight vanilla, and lumber) as well as slight pineapples and lemons. Medium bodied. On the palate, this is a bit chalky with apricots and slight lemons. Moderate finish. This is drinking well on its own and will work nice with soft cheeses. Drink over the next year or two.
This is an inexpensive Sauvignon Blanc from France. Pale golden in color, clear and bright. The nose is a bit grassy with oranges. Light to medium bodied with a slightly oily texture. On the palate, minerals and slight orange as well. A bit of menthol on the finish. Moderate acidity. This is a bit of a different showing for a Sauvignon Blanc but very enjoyable. It drinks well on its own and would work nicely with lighter foods. A citrus salad would be nice. Drink over the next year.
This is 100% old school Cabernet Franc from the Loire valley in France. Coming in at 12.5% ABV, this is a classic Loire Red wine. Deep garnet in color, mostly opaque and mostly bright. The nose has black cherries, tobacco, some bell pepper, slight "twigs and sticks". Medium bodied. Nice acidity. On the palate, this drinks easy but needs some food. Some black cherry fruit with plenty of forest floor and tobacco. A bit of green bell pepper. Moderate finish. This would work well with lamb stew. Drink over the next five to seven years.
A new winery for me to try. Purple in colo9r, ruby at the rim, opaque and bright. The nose has black cherries, slight cassis, smoke and gravel. Medium bodied. Light tannins. On the palate, nice black cherry fruit with underlying smoke and gravel. Nice finish. This should drink well for the next ten to twelve years. This should go well with Roasted or Charred Portabellas and Root Vegetables.
This is the second wine of Pichon Longueville. It is a blend of 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 4% Cabernet Franc. Purple in color, opaque and bright. The nose is nice with cassis, black cherries, slight chocolate and a bit of leather. Medium to full bodied. On the palate, light tannins. Tart, black raspberry fruit. Some black cherries and a bit of chocolate. Good acidity. Nice balance. Long finish. This should improve a bit over the next five to seven years but either way should be great drinking over the next twelve to fifteen. A Chicken and Cheddar Sou
Purple in color, opaque and bright. The nose is nice with black cherries, cassis, slight floral notes and cedar. Medium to full bodied. On the palate, this has ripe cassis flavors with a touch of leather and slight dried floral notes. Medium tannins. Good finish. This needs a few more years to open and then should drink well for another ten to twelve more. This would work well with a bacon-cheese Quiche.
This is the second wine of Lynch Bages. It is a blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc. Most of the 2018's tried were riper and more "modern" for lack of a better descriptor. This seems more "old school" with less alcohol. Purple in color, opaque and bright. The nose is nice with cassis, black cherries, graphite, slight leather and char. Medium bodied. On the palate, there are tart black cherries, medium tannins and just a bit of smoke. A slightly clipped finish. This could use a bit of time, maybe a couple years, but should drink well for ten to twelve
This is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot. It used to be known as Château Lalande-Borie but the name changed starting with the 2018 vintage. Purple in color, opaque and bright. The nose is powerful with cassis, black cherries, coffee, spice and dust.
Another wine to turn to when looking for value in top vintages of Bordeaux. Purple in color, ruby at the rim, opaque and bright. The nose is nice with cassis and plums and slight leather and char. Medium to full bodied. On the palate, this is firm tannins. A velvety texture. Lots of cassis fruit with underlying leather and slight char. Good acidity. Nice finish. This needs another five to eight years to approach maturity and should drink well for ten to fifteen after that. This will work well with grilled or roasted meats (or vegetables).
