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

2005 Gérard Raphet Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Lavaux St. Jacques, France, Burgundy, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2005
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$130.00USD

Well, this was one of the better values I have had in Burgundy in a while.  It was $70 on release with current vintages retailing for $110 or so.  Pop and pour, this seems to be at peak or just getting there.  It improved in the first thirty minutes and then held until the bottle was empty.  Light ruby in color.  A bit pale.  The nose is strong though with cherries and a slight earthy funk.  Maybe just a bit of spice.  On the palate, this has nice layering of fruit (cherries) and earth.  Good balance.  Persistent finish.  It went very well with food.  Delicious but also contemplative.  

2015 Maison Champy Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Chenevottes, France, Burgundy, Wine Reviews

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$78.00USD

Light gold/green in color.  The nose is nice with lemons, slight vanilla, and a bit of grapefruit.  On the palate, this is nice but a bit more depth would be nice.  Decent acidity.  Some lemon and grapefruit.  Went well with a vegetarian pasta dish.  This cost $70 and that is the biggest thing.  Hard to justify that unless one lays it down the cellar.  But, with white Burgundies, that raises the risk of premature oxidation.  I am not sure what the answer is, but I find myself buying less White Burgundy.  That said, if you have this, it should be cellared for at least five more years.  

2015 Sebastien Dampt Chablis 1er Cru Les Beugnons, France, Burgundy, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$35.00USD

Chablis continues to be an excellent source or white Burgundy especially when considering the price and the premox issues.  While Chablis is not immune on either issue, it is a bit better on both.  This is a newer-ish producer making some great wines and reasonable pricing.  Light silvery gold in color.  The nose is very nice with green apples and chalk.  Very clean.  On the palate, those flavors continue with a nice depth and complexity.  Very nice acidity.  Some grapefruit as well.  Long finish.  This will work great with salads and sea foods but also with fowl dishes.  It really does beg

2016 Joseph Drouhin Gevrey-Chambertin, France, Burgundy, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$60.00USD

Though young, this is drinking quite well and in "Burgundy" terms a good value.  Deep garnet in color.  The nose has cherries, spice, and slight black cherries.  The texture on this wine is very pretty.  Round but intense.  Lots of black cherry fruit and some underlying earthiness.  Good balance.  Nice finish.  This should continue to improve for five to ten years and be good for another five to ten after that.  It will pair well with game or fowl.  

2001 Château de Fargues, France, Bordeaux, Sauternes, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2001
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$128.00USD

Château de Fargues probably doesn't get enough recognition and 2001 is one of the all time great vintages in Sauternes.  This was an excellent showing and a great way to finish an evening.  A very cool looking orange/red in color.  The nose has orange peel and honey.  A bit of Crem Brulee.  On the palate, this is viscous although not as sweet as expected (which is fine).  The orange peel carries thru with good acidity.  Plenty of depth.  A very long finish.  Still on the young side, this should develop further.  

2007 Domaine de la Solitude (Lançon Père et Fils) Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Cornelia Constanza, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2007
Score: 
94
Grade: 
Current Price: 
$83.00USD

This is drinking well.  Probably at or close to peak at this point.  Ruby/purple in color.  The nose has black raspberries, black cherries, slight floral notes and garrique.  On the palate, there is some oak showing though this is brought up more in tank than barrel.  Perhaps just from concentrated old vine/stems?  Cherries, black raspberries and slight funk.  Starting to show some layering though that will doubtless expand over the next decade.  I don't think it get's better but will continue to morph, so it depends on how you like them.  Nice finish.  This is very food friendly and would

2016 Domaine Pierre Usseglio & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée de mon Aïeul, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
97
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$80.00USD

Wow.  A spectacular wine.  This is of course very young but it is so delicious and enjoyable.  It won't hit peak for a decade at least.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is peppery with black cherries, spice, soy, garrique and floral notes.  On the palate, this is viscous with a wonderful texture.  Lots of black cherry and black raspberry fruit.  A bit of liqueur.  Long finish.  This is made from 100% Grenache.  Right now it's a difficult food match but give it time in the cellar and it should be great with meats and fowl.  It you have a few though, you would be missing somethi

1988 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
1988
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$600.00USD

Beautiful showing for this thirty-one year old wine.  While I don't think it will get better, it still has plenty of life left.  Garnet in color, clear and bright.  The nose is earthy with cherries, slight funk and a bit of dried fruits.  On the palate, layers of black raspberry fruit, earth and slight funk.  Deep and complex.  Enough youth and acidity to keep things interesting.  This is at peak.  It will work better with food at this point.  Roasted meats and vegetables, stews but also Indian food would be great.  Should easily last another ten years if well stored.  

2007 Louis Boillot Volnay 1er Cru Clos de la Chapelle, France, Burgundy, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2007
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-

This is drinking about at peak right now.  It is a very pretty wine.  Light ruby/orange in color, clear and bright but very light.  The nose is earthy with macerated cherries and a bit of funk.  Just a bit of mint on the end of the nose.  On the palate, this is very soft with light tannins still present.  Cherries and cherry juice.  A bit of forest floor underneath.  Long finish.  A very pretty Burgundy that is everything one could have hoped for on release.  It will work with a wide variety of foods.  

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