France

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• Tavel

This was interesting and unique.  It has a deep golden/orange hue to it.  I wondered if it was oxidized, but got no hint of that.  Perhaps they left the juice in contact with the red grape skins.  It is made from six varietals; Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier, Pinot Blanc, Petit Meslier and Arbane which is how Champagne was traditionally made in the 1800's.  The nose is tight and never offered up a lot.  Some baked apples, a bit of yeast.  The palate, however, was explosive.  It is slightly sweet and I was surprised to see the label said Brut.  Mandarin oranges with a bit of ginger. 

This has base wines from 1998 to 2010.  It is comprised of 45% Pinot Noir, 39% Chardonnay and 15% Pinot Meunie.  Light yellow/gold in color.  The nose is very nice with pears, toast and hay.  Perhaps just the slightest note of oxidation.  A beautiful creamy texture.  Good acidity but not intense.  On the palate, there is  a nice citrusy quality over a mineral base.  A long tart finish that leaves the impression of strawberries.  This took a bit of time/air to open.  Of course, Krug is magic and this wine lived up to its part.  

Purple in color.  The nose has cassis, cherries and spice.  On the palate, this is simple and one dimensional but pleasurable.  Drinking well now.  Tannins all resolved.  More cherry fruit than cassis on the palate.  This is easy drinking and will work ok on its own or with a wide variety of foods.  Drink up in the next few years.  

This is a red Chassagne.  It drinks very well right now.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose earthy with black cherries.  Nice lush texture.  Black cherry fruit on the palate.  Delicious.  Some complexity.  Riper fruit than expected.  Good finish.  This will drink well on its own or with Pinot Noir friendly foods.  It probably won't get much better but should be good for another 5 to 7 years at least.  

Stunning wine on its own, but then thinking this was a ten year old Beaujolais that cost $30 on release.  Wow.  Deep, deep garnet in color.  The nose is tight at first as this wine is still young.  As it opens, beautiful black cherries, slight sandalwood and just a hint of dry forest floor.  On the palate, a gorgeous silky yet voluptuous texture.  Black cherry fruit with great balance.  Layers of fruit, and dry earth.  An insanely long finish.  There are even slight tannins still showing.  This may yet improve a bit but it is fantastic now.  It easily has another decade left in it.  Delicio

What a gorgeous wine.  Blind, I would probably guess a very good Burgundy at about 10 years old.  Deep ruby in color.  The nose is very nice with some funk on it.  Loads of cherries with some darkness to them.  Spice.  On the palate, the texture is really a highlight.  Silky yet burly.  Loads of black cherries on the palate.  It unwinds in the glass to show layers of damp earth with fruit.  Long finish.  This will easily do another decade and probably more but I am not sure if gets better.  And it is so good right now.  It will go with any food Pinot Noir works with.  

Muscadet's are some of the best values in the wine world.  This one sells for around $13.  Light golden in color.  The nose has a nice minerality along with crushed shells and some sea air.  A slight hint of lime peel.  Om the palate, there is a nice tart acidity.  Some green apple notes and a long finish. The classic pairing would be with oysters but this will work with a wide variety of lighter foods.   These are best drunk in their youth, i.e. Now!

This is always a great value.  Just a step up from the Cotes du Rhone and a bit deeper and darker.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose has black raspberries, slight violets, cedar and pepper.  On the palate, this is juicy with bold black raspberry fruit.  Slight tannins.  Good acidity.  Long finish.  2015 was a great year in the Northern Rhone and value wines like this are a great play.  It should be good for the next five to seven years at least.  Great with stews, meats and spicier foods.  

It's always fun to try older Bordeaux's.  This one still had something to offer if a bit past its prime.  Ruby in color, with slight browning at the rim.  The nose offered cherries, dried cherries, slight stewed fruits and a nice tobacco funk.  On the palate, this has a nice complexity with cherry fruit over forest floor.  Good acidity.  If you own any, drink up soon.  It went well with all kinds of food.  

What a spectacular bottle of wine.  This will certainly be in the running for WOTY.  Pop and pour, it took around thirty minutes to really open.  Luckily, this was being share with just a couple of friends.  This wine is no longer the port-like monster of its youth.  It is still a big wine for Chave, but it is starting to have a certain control to it.  Purple/ruby in color.  The nose is amazing with black raspberries, violets, slight white pepper, minerals and earth.  On the palate, this has tight layers that unwind in the glass.  Black raspberries, white pepper and crushed rocks.  Long fin