France

• Alsace
• Bergerac
• Bordeaux
  • Barsac
  • Bordeaux Supérieur
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  • Haut-Medoc
  • Listrac
  • Pauillac
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  • Sauternes
• Burgundy
  • Beaujolais
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  • Mercurey
• Cahors
• Champagne
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• Corsica
• Gascony
• Jura
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• Languedoc-Roussillon
  • Minervois
• Loire Valley
  • Bourgueil
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  • 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

At or near peak and drinking well.  Garnet in color, clear and bright.  The nose is great with cherries, slight funk. slight black cherries and spice.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, bold cherry and some black cherry fruit.  Slight forest floor and mushroom underneath.  Nice energy and balance.  Good finish.  This should drink well for another ten to twelve years.  Great on its own, this would work well with salmon or a mushroom dish.  

This was drinking great, at or close to mature peak.  Ruby/purple, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is classic Pegau, that is, barnyard.  Approaching the limits of Brett tolerance.  Also some black cherries and slight spice.  Medium to full bodied.  On the palate, the Brett is present but not as noticeable.  Fresh cherries and black cherries with some spice.  Complex and layered.  Delicious and contemplative.  Long finish.  drink these over the next four to seven years if well stored.  This drinks great on its own but would work great with lamb stew.  

This is a really enjoyable Chenin Blanc from the Loire Valley of France.  Light gold in color, clear and bright.  The nose has lots of minerals, orange peel and slight floral notes.  Medium bodied.  Slightly sweet.  Concentrated minerality on the palate.  Long finish.  This is delicious now and should drink well for another decade.  It drinks well on its own and will work well with lighter salads and seafoods.  

This is an inexpensive Chardonnay.  Light golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose has some gun flint with a touch of peach.  I suspect it had more fruit when it was younger.  On the palate, a bit chalky with slight peach as well.  A bit bitter on the finish.  This seems past prime and should be consumed soon.  It will work better with food, seafood would be a nice choice.  

This is a blend of Tannat, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc from Madiran in the southwest of France.  Inky purple  in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has black raspberries and slight black cherries with some spice and minerality.  Full bodied.  Deep.  Firm tannins.  Black raspberry fruit mostly but some boysenberry as well over a mineral base.  Clean.  A bit of char on the finish.  Delicious.  This feels like further cellaring would be helpful but with some air, it drinks well.  Drink over the next ten years.  It would work with pork chops but also grilled meats and veggies.  

2005 was an excellent vintage, but, especially the right bank Merlot based wines, is now starting to really drink well.  100% Merlot.  Purple in color with ruby swirls, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is lovely with black cherries, cassis, chocolate and spice.  Light tannins.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, black cherries with underlying funk.  Good finish.  This seems to be about at peak but should drink well for another five to seven years.  It drinks well on its own but will work better at the dinner table with perhaps roasted fowl.  

Another producer I have not had before (I need to get out more again).  Light golden in color, clear and bright.  None of the pinkish hues normally associated with Pinot Gris.  The nose is interesting with fresh kumquat (yes, you read that right) and a slight waxy/fleshy note.  On the palate, this is slightly viscous.  Notes of oranges with decent acidity.  It finishes with a touch of sweetness.  This is pleasant and easy to drink although it doesn't come off as a typical Pinot Gris.  Drink over the next few years.  It drinks great on its own and will work with lighter foods.  A nice wine f

A new winery for me.  Light golden in color with some silvery hues, clear and bright.  The nose is tight (cold) with air some minerality and light lemons come thru.  It has a viscous texture.  On the palate, there is some sweetness to it (no idea what the residual sugar level is) but it is easily balanced by the bracing acidity.  13% ABV.  Plenty of lemon fruit with slight apples.  The lemony finish goes on forever.  This is really interesting and it would be hard to guess where it is from as it is quite unique.  It is drinking great now and will no doubt mature and morph but should drink w

There is a lot of controversy about this American producer.  I won't go into the here except to say, all the wines I personally purchased and opened so far have been at or above expectations.  Pop and pour.  Light ruby in color, slightly hazy which is not uncommon in Burgundies.  The nose is very nice.  Earthy with slight mushrooms, cherries, slight cranberry notes and just a bit of funk.  Medium bodied with tart acidity (in a good way).  On the palate, nice cherry fruit with underlying earthiness and slight mushrooms.  Still on the youthful side of full maturity.  That said at age eleven,

A friend of mine stopped by with a bottle.  My first reaction was that it was too young, so I was going to open an older bottle and then accidently opened this.  Glad I did.  While this will probably shut down, it was great.  Deep garnet in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is  clean with black cherry fruit along with roasted meats, smoke/char and a slight floral note.  Full bodied.  On the pallet, this is drinking great.  Delicious.  Black raspberry fruit over char.  Clean (how long has it been since this was an issue at Beaucastel?).  Nice finish.  Obviously young with silky tanni