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

2008 Drappier Champagne Grande Sendrée, France, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2008
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$100.00USD

This is delicious.  From an excellent vintage and drinking youthfully.  A blend of 55% Pinot Noir and 45% Chardonnay.  Light golden in color.  The nose shows green apples, some chalk and marzapan.  Very nice but tight.  More open on the palate.  Very lively acidity.  Green apples and minerals.  It starts out tight and broadens over the palate.  Long finish.  This will work with almost any food.  It is still young although drinking nicely but is likely to improve over the next tne years and be good for at least that long after that.  

2015 Thibault Liger-Belair Bourgogne Blanc Les Charmes, France, Burgundy, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$25.00USD

This is a very nice Chardonnay at a reasonable price.  It even says Chardonnay on the label.  Light golden in color.  The nose is nice.  Slightly chalky with flint and slight smoke.  Also some lemon.  On the palate, this has a nice acidity.  Lots of minerality with a bit of lemon fruit.  Clean.  Nice finish.  Worked well with an assortment of cheeses but will work with lighter and medium bodied foods.  It should last another five years but won't get much better if at all.  Depending on the price where you live, this is a very nice value.  

2005 Foreau Domaine du Clos Naudin Vouvray Demi-Sec, France, Loire, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2005
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$50.00USD

Pop and pour, this is in a good place right now.  Light golden in color.  The nose has a nice salinity with some orange peel.  On the palate, this is barely sweet.  It has an almost dry pineapple quality if that makes sense.  Underlying minerality with a touch a salt (and yes, salt is also a mineral).  Good finish.  This is close to peak but will continue to morph and mature.  No hurry on well stored bottles.  Went well with cheeses.  

2017 Domaine Paul Buisse Touraine Sauvignon, France, Lorie, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
87
Grade: 
B
Current Price: 
$13.00USD

This is 100% Sauvignon Blanc from the Lorie Valley in France.  Yellow/gold in color, clear and bright.  The nose has a nice minerality with crushed shells.  Slight grassiness.  On the palate, this is slightly oily with nice minerality.  Clean finish.  This is a solid wine that is a very nice value at $13.  It will drink well on its own or with lighter foods.  

NV G. H. Mumm & Cie Champagne Grand Cordon, France, Wine Review

Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$40.00USD

Pale silvery/gold in color.  A very nice head of smaller bubbles.  The nose has a nice seltzer quality with good minerality and slight soap.  On the palate, this is clean with good acidity.  Lemons with a slight mint note.  Good finish.  A really nice way to begin an event and share with friends.  Probably better to drink sooner than later.  

2002 Zind-Humbrecht Riesling Brand, France, Alsace, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2002
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A

Beautiful showing for this bottle.  Gorgeous color if a bit worrisome.  A deep burnt orange color.  The nose is very nice with a slight petrol quality along with apricots and slight honey.  On the palate, this is slightly viscous.  Not as sweet as it was in it's youth though still some sweetness.  Peaches, slight honey, slight almond note on the finish.  Complex and deep.  It is evolving nicely and well stored bottles should continue to be a treat for a while.  This went well with a salad and will probably have more synergy with lighter foods at this point in its life.  

2006 Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Champagne Brut La Grande Dame, France, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2006
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$120.00USD

Nice to revisit this one again (other notes are posted on this site).  It is always interesting to follow a wine over time.  What was a very concentrated and precise wine on release has started to broaden out and showing some development.  It is still a youthful wine with plenty of energy at 13 years from vintage.  Light golden in color with a nice frothy mousse with tiny bubbles.  The nose has a bit of yeast/baked bread with a lemon peel note.  On the palate, this has a nice citrus over a slightly earthy quality.  Good acidity.  Long finish.  This is showing a nice complexity and depth.  W

2017 Les Portes de Bordeaux Bordeaux Rosé, France, Bordeaux, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
85
Grade: 
B
Current Price: 
$8.00USD

This is a Trader Joe's wine made from Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.  It is an easy drinking rose that is easy on the budget.  Deep pink/orange in color.  The nose has some watermelons and strawberries.  Light bodied.  On the palate, a bit of clean strawberries.  Drank well enough on its own and worked with a variety of garden and fruit salads.  Drink up this summer.  

2016 Rotem & Mounir Saouma Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc Magis, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$110.00USD

A very pretty white wine from the Rhone.  This is a big, round wine that is unique and outstanding.  Grenache Blanc, Bourboulenc, Clairette and Roussanne.  Golden in color.  The nose is gorgeous with peaches, minerals, slight lime, toast and a slight waxy/floral quality (not unlike my late Aunt's apartment).  On the palate, this is round with a slightly oily texture.  very nice acidity.  Long finish.  In a very good way, this is somewhat like a white Burgundy with a peach candle melted in.  Delicious.  It would go great with food especially vegetarian grain dishes (couscous, quinoa, etc.). 

2012 E. Guigal Hermitage, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2012
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$70.00USD

Purchased off a store shelf, pop and pour.  Inky purple in color.  The nose has black raspberries, charcoal, a slight floral note and with air some roasted meats.  On the palate, this is leaner bodied.  Slight tannins.  Black raspberry fruit with some earthiness.  The wine is drinking well already and doesn't seem like it will get much better.  It is very good right now though.  It will work great with stews and casseroles.  Drink over the next five to seven years.  

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