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

2013 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage Blanc, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2013
Score: 
98
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$250.00USD

Gorgeous wine.  A blend of mostly Marsanne with some Roussanne.  Drinking great right now but Rhone white wines are always unpredictable.  Golden in color.  The nose has some peaches, wax with an herbal note floating above the rest.  Very nice.  It has a slightly oily texture with lots of body weight.  The peach notes carry thru to the palate.  Slightly orange citrus on the finish.  This will probably shut down at some point but then reopen and last for a couple more decades.  This will work with moderately hearty foods.  

2012 Louis Jadot Montrachet, France, Burgundy, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2012
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$450.00USD

Deep golden in color.  Perhaps showing some advanced signs but not all the way oxidized by any means.  The nose has some minerals, slight lemon peel and a bit of spice.   Someone mentioned caramel, but it seemed more like butterscotch from the oak.  On the palate, this isn't flabby but the acidity isn't noticeable either.  Lots of minerals, some lemon.  A bit of depth.  Slightly clipped on the finish.  Overall, this is a very nice Chardonnay, but when one buys and pays for Montrachet, the expectations are high.  This will work with lighter foods.  

2002 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut, France, Champagne, Wine Review

Vintage: 
1998
Score: 
97
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$300.00USD

Wow!  Its vintage Krug, but still, wow!  This is still young but it is opening up now and really hitting its stride.  It has a couple of decades left or more, depending how you like older Champagne.  Light golden in color.  A nice mousse with lots of tiny bubbles.  This is a big wine.  The nose has toast, slight ginger, cherries and a slight hay note.  On the palate, this has a racy backbone of acidity.  At the same time, a broad palate with great complexity.  Some tart fruit on top with some cherry parfait in the mid-palate and underlying it all, great minerality and slight salinity.  An i

2000 Dom Perignon Champagne P2 Second Plenitude, France, Champagne, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2000
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$325.00USD

This is a late release in which Moet leaves some vintage wine stored on its lees for 16 years before release.  It retails for around $325.  Light golden in color.  There is a nice frothy mousse with lots of small-ish bubbles.  On the nose, slightly soapy with minerals.  A bit of lemon peel.  With air, a bit of yeast comes out.  On the palate, the yeasty dough quality returns.  There is a very nice underlying minerality.  A creamy texture.  While this has good acidity, not the screaming acidity of the original release.  Age has mellowed it out.  This is very food friendly.  It is uncertain h

2010 Clos Saint Jean Châteauneuf-du-Pape, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2010
Score: 
88
Grade: 
B+

This retailed for under $30 so it was a fine value.  Though the vintage was exceptional this is not a great wine, but certainly solid.  Ruby in color.  The nose has some cherries and a bit of spice.  On the palate, the cherries continue.  A bit tart and a bit light.  No tannins.  I doubt this gets better.  It should work well enough at the dinner table with most foods.  

2017 Maurice Martin Saint-Veran, France, Burgundy, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
88
Grade: 
B+

Green gold in color.  The nose has nice minerality with slight lemons.  On the palate, the lemons carry thru along with a slight bitterness.  Good acidity.  Nice finish.  This retails for $23.  It will works nicely with sea food and salads.  Should be drunk in the next few years.  

2001 Château Troplong Mondot, France, Bordeaux, St. Emilion, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2001
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-

At peak.  Purple/ruby in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose has nice cherries with some cassis and cigar box.  On the palate, some complexity.  Nice texture.  Juicy cherries with some cassis and underlying slight cocoa dust and tobacco.  Nice finish.  This is about as good as this wine will be.  Reasonably food friendly for medium and heavier foods.  

1998 Château Nenin, France, Bordeaux, Pomerol, Wine Review

Vintage: 
1998
Score: 
87
Grade: 
B

Nice enough wine but seems to be a bit past prime.  Ruby in color, slight bricking at the rim.  The nose has black cherries, slight cedar and slight spice.  On the palate, this is straightforward.  Cherries.  no tannins.  Good balance.  Very food friendly.  A nice Bordeaux for the dinner table.  

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