France

• Alsace
• Bergerac
• Bordeaux
  • Barsac
  • Bordeaux Supérieur
  • Margaux
  • Graves
  • Haut-Medoc
  • Listrac
  • Pauillac
  • Pomerol
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  • Saint Estephe
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  • 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 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

This is a Barsac which is the next commune over from Sauternes in France.  Still going along just fine.  Made from 100% Semillon grapes.

This is from the people who bring you Cayuse and other wines from Washington State.  It is Champagne from France made from the Pinot Meunier grape planted in 1969.  Only made in Magnum and sold thru the Cayuse mailing list.  Golden in color with a slight ruby tint to it.  A nice mousse with a lot of effervescence.  The nose has Vernor's soda notes (sort of ginger and caramel).   With air some cherries and lemons come out.  Medium to full bodied.  On the palate, the cherries and lemons are more pronounced but there is still that underlying ginger.  Nice minerality.  Very concentrated, it slo

Always a great wine and great "value" in the world of expensive Champagne, it seems as the 2012 is one of the best vintages yet, perhaps surpassing 2008 and going back to 1996 for that level of quality, at least for my tastes.  Light golden in color with slight green hues, clear and bright.  The mousse is consistent with lots of tiny bubbles.  The nose has a hint of toast upfront, followed by pears with a slight  floral quality.  Some citrus on the back end.  Full bodied.

Nice showing for this bottle.  A bit of oxidation, but the wine is almost 20!  Deep golden in color with some orange hues, clear and bright.  The nose has sea air, some burnt orange peel, and apricots.  Slightly viscous.  A touch of sweetness.  This is deep and complex with apricots, orange peel and minerality.  Not so much layered as close to seamless.  Good acidity.  Nice finish.  This paired nicely with some salted truffle fries but would work well with goat cheese.  Probably better with a touch of food at this point.  Drink over the next ten years.  Note, there are some oxidation issues