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

2018 Domaine Garon Côte-Rôtie Les Rochins, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$85.00USD

This is 100% Syrah.  Purple in color with slight ruby swirls.  The nose is great with black raspberries, black cherries, black olives and smoked meats.  Full bodied.  On the palate, black raspberries, salinity, and char.  Long finish.  This is drinking well now and should drink well for the next eight to twelve years.  It works well on its own and would work well with hearty meat or lamb based dishes.  

2018 Clusel-Roch Côte-Rôtie Les Schistes, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$70.00USD

This is a blend of 96% Serine (a Syrah clone) and 4% Viognier.  Purple in color with ruby swirls, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is great with black raspberries, smoke and black pepper.  Full bodied.  Light tannins.  On the palate, this is on the more elegant side of Cote Rotie.  Nice black raspberry fruit with some char.  Good finish.  This is drinking well now and should drink well for another seven to ten years.  It will work better with food.  This would go well with pork chops.  

2018 Domaine Duclaux Côte-Rôtie La Chana, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$50.00USD

This is a blend of 93% Syrah and 7% Viognier from the Cote Blonde in the southern end of Cote Rotie.  The nose is lovely.  Quite floral (violets?) but also black raspberries and spice.  Full bodied.  Viscous/glycerin texture.  Light tannins.  On the palate, black raspberries, black cherries and char.  Good balance.  Good finish.  This is drinking well today and should continue for another five to eight years.  This is lighter in style than most Cote Rotie's making it very food friendly.  It would work well with roasted fowl.  

2018 Anthony Paret Côte-Rôtie L'Esprit du Père, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$72.00USD

This is made from 100% Serine (Syrah) vines that are about 45 years old.  Purple in color with ruby swirls although a bit flat.  The nose is very perfumed with black raspberries, violets but also smoked meats.  Full bodied.  Nice drinkable texture.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, lots of black raspberry fruit with some smoke and minerality.  Good finish.  This is drinking well now but will still improve a bit.  Drink over the next ten to fifteen years.  It is nice on its own but will work better with food.  Braised meat and potato dishes would work well.  

2018 Patrick Jasmin Côte-Rôtie La Giroflarie, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$50.00USD

This is 96% Syrah and 4% Viognier.  Very nice wine and an excellent value in Cote Rotie.  The nose has black raspberries, black olives, and slight roasted meats.  Full bodied.  Good acidity.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, this is muscular with black raspberries and black olives coming thru along with a bit of char.  Good finish.  This is drinking well now and should continue for another fifteen years.  A nice match for Indian cuisine.  

2018 Xavier Gerard Côte-Rôtie, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
96
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$73.00USD

The grapes for this wine come principally from the Mollard lieu-dit (65%) with the rest coming from Font-Jean, Viallière, and La Landonne.  It is a blend of Syrah 93%, and Viognier 7%.  Just a stunning wine, and for Cote Rotie, a great value.  Purple in color with a slight ruby rim, opaque and bright.  The nose has black raspberries, smoke, slight bacon fat, and slight violets.  Full bodied.  Good acidity. Great glycerin driven texture.  On the palate, black raspberries and black pepper.  Firm tannins.    Long finish.  This needs a bit more time and then should drink well for the next twent

2018 Clusel-Roch Côte-Rôtie Champon, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
96
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$107.00USD

This is the first ever vintage of this wine.  Made from a massal (various clones growing together) selection of 65 year old vines at the top of the hill.  The Syrah is Serines which is a particular clone of Syrah that is native to the northern Rhone.  Some people think it is a distinct varietal but that is yet to be proven.  Purple in color with ruby swirls, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has black raspberries, black cherries, violets and char.  A wonderful velvety texture.  Medium tannins.  Great balance.  Delicious.  On the palate, black raspberries, smoke, and great minerality.  Tig

2018 Xavier Gerard Condrieu Côte Chatillon, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$61.00USD

Very nice expression of a northern Rhone Viognier.  Deep golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose is perfumed with floral notes as well as peach, slight hay, and slight golden raisin.  Full bodied.  Viscous, slightly oily texture.  On the palate, some waxiness with some pear, slight orange and just a hint of floral notes.  Good acidity.  Dry.  Long finish.  This probably should be drunk in the next few years to enjoy the freshness.  Nice on its own, this would work well with lighter foods but would be nice s well with lobster.  

2010 Jean-Louis Chavy Puligny-Montrachet, France, Burgundy, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2010
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-

This wine is in a beautiful place right now.  Medium gold in color, clear and bright.  The nose has grapefruit, slight orange peel, with a slight touch or caramel.  Full bodied.  Complex.  On the palate, quince with slight grapefruit.  Good acidity.  Long finish. This is great on its own and would be excellent with shellfish.  Though it will last long, drink in the next few years to catch at peak.  

2018 M. Chapoutier Côtes du Roussillon Les Vignes de Bila-Haut Blanc, France, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
88
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$13.00USD

This white is a blend of Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Macabeu, Vermentino and Marsanne. Light golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose is nice with floral notes in addition to limes, and quince.  Viscous texture.  On the palate, green apples and some citrus.  Nice finish.  Overall, an easy drinking wine that provides nice value.  

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