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 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.  

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.  

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.  

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.  

This is a blend of 55% Grenache, 35% Syrah and 10% Carignan from higher altitude vineyards at the foot of Mt.

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.  

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.