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

NV Vouette et Sorbée Champagne Fidèle Brut Nature, France, Wine Review

Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$74.00USD

Tasted from Magnum.  Although this is not vintage Champagne, I am told this is all 2017 vintage grapes.  The Brut Nature indicates this had zero dosage.  It is 100% Pinot Noir and went thru 100% Malolactic fermentation.  A very interesting and very good wine.  Golden in color with a slight copper hue.  Quite a bit of very tiny bubbles.  The nose has seltzer, melon, chalk and slight lemon.  Full bodied.  On the palate, this has a bit of sweetness to it which is likely just from ripe fruit (no easy task in 2017).  There is an herbal note along with melon and plenty of minerality.  This has a

2000 Les Forts de Latour, France, Bordeaux, Pauillac, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2000
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$300.00USD

This is, of course, the second label of Chateau Latour.  In recent years the price on the seconds has sky-rocketed as well.  That said, this is an excellent wine in a really nice place right now.  Purple in color with ruby swirls, opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with cassis, tobacco, leather, slight graphite and spice.  Also a bit of the funk.  Full bodied.  Great balance.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, this is drinking well.  Nots of cassis, slight dried cherries and a bit of leather.  Some underlying char and funk.  Long finish.  Complex and deep.  Drink over the next twelve to twe

2003 Château Léoville Barton, France, Bordeaux, St. Julien, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2003
Score: 
97
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$165.00USD

This was from the crazy hot, 2003 vintage. Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, tobacco, slight leather, damp earth and spice.  Full bodied.  Good balance.  On the palate, this is ripe but certainly not over ripe.  No prunes or raisins.  A really amazing Bordeaux that is just getting to maturity.  Loads of cassis with some spice and a bit of Bordeaux funk.  Long finish.  This should continue to drink well for another ten to fifteen years.  Nice on its own, but better with food.  This went well with roasted root vegetables and rice.  

2020 Domaine Huet Vouvray Demi-Sec Clos du Bourg, France, Loire, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2020
Score: 
96
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$39.00USD

Huet is one of the top producers in the world.  That they make Chenin Blanc in the Loire Valley just keeps the price down.  The 2020 is another star.  Light golden in color, clear and bright.  It has a great nose with orange peel, slight ginger, sea air, quince.  Full bodied.  Great balance.  On the palate, this is slightly sweet with enough acidity to counter it.  Flavors of quince, slight ginger and salinity.  Long finish.  This is drinking great now and should for another fifteen years.  Great on its own, this will work nice with Thai food.

2002 Domaine des Baumard Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru, France, Loire, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2002
Score: 
96
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$110.00USD

We drank thru a case of this wine and this was the last bottle.  Ten were superb, one was off and one was corked which was about par for the course back in the day with sweet Loire white wines.  This was also superb, and if you have any, no hurry on them.  Golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose is great with orange peel, apricots, sea air, canned peach syrup.  Full bodied.  Slightly sweet.  On the palate, canned peach syrup, oranges, and slight caramel note.  Long finish.  Great on its own, this will work well with not too sweet (and no chocolate) desserts.  Drink up over the next fiv

2014 Remy Nodin Cornas

Vintage: 
2014
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A

This is maturing on a nice path is while not at peak, it is getting pretty gosh darn close.  Purple in color with a ruby rim, opaque and bright.  The nose is classic with boysenberries, char, black pepper and bacon fat.  Medium to full bodied.  Well balanced.  On the palate, lots of boysenberry fruit with some black pepper and a bit of char.  Long finish.  This drinks well on its own and will also work with food.  Cassoulet would be a classic pairing.  Drink over the next seven to ten years.  

NV Les Caves du Sieur d'Arques Crémant de Limoux Aimery 1531 Cremant Brut, France, Wine Review

Score: 
88
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$18.00USD

A sparkling wine from the southwest of France composed of 60% Chardonnay, 30% Chenin Blanc and 10% Mauzac made in the methode tradionelle way.  It is dry.  Pale golden in color with a nice mousse of very small bubbles.  Clear and bright.  The nose is nice with green apples and a bit of brioche.  Medium bodied.  Good acidity.  On the palate, the green apples carry thru with a bit of underlying char.  Nice finish.  This is very food friendly and will go with just about anything.  Drink over the next couple of years.  

2018 Henri Bourgeois Sancerre Rouge La Porte du Caillou, France, Loire, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$25.00USD

This was accidently added to a tasting of Loire Cabernet Franc.  It is of course, Pinot Noir.  Certainly not a fair way to sample the wine as it was only after the wines were unveiled that the mistake was identified.  A couple people did say it was Pinot like which is very impressive.  Still, here is the tasting note.

2020 Domaine Bernard Baudry Chinon Le Clos Guillot, France, Loire, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2020
Score: 
88
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$34.00USD

This is 100% Cabernet Franc.  Purple/ruby in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose has some Brettanomyces coming off as slight barnyard.  It has an "old school" Chinon quality to it.  Also some black cherries.  On the palate, the black cherries come thru (not the barnyard).  It does taste mature despite being relatively young.  Most likely that is the Brett. This will work better with food such as stew or chili.  Drink over the next seven to ten years.

2020 Henri Bourgeois Cabernet Franc Petit Bourgeois, France, IGT Val de Loire, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2020
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$16.00USD

Great value in Loire Cabernet Franc. Purple in color with ruby swirls, mostly clear and bright.  The nose has nice black cherry fruit with some strawberries.  Medium bodied.  Very accessible.  On the palate, more black cherry fruit. Nice finish.  This drinks very easy.  Nice on  its own, this would work nicely with roasted chicken.  Drink over the next three to five years.  

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