France

• Alsace
• Bergerac
• Bordeaux
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  • Bordeaux Supérieur
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• Burgundy
  • Beaujolais
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• Loire Valley
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  • Sancerre
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  • Savennières
  • Touraine
  • Vouvray
• Rhone (Rhône)
  • Châteauneuf-du-Pape
  • Cornas
  • Crozes-Hermitage
  • Gigondas
  • Hermitage
  • Lirac
  • Saint Joseph
• Provence
  • Bandol
• Savoie
• Tavel

As Burgundy prices have gone thru the roof, Savigny is a nice places for affordable but quality Burgundy.  This one is not exception.  Ruby in color, clear and shimmering bright.  The nose is bigger with cherries, black cherries, slight cocoa powder and spices.  Full bodied.  On the palate, the fruit is upfront and delicious.  Black cherries with some fresh cherries.  There is an underlying bit of spice and minerality.  A touch of depth and complexity comes out with air.  This is drinking quite well and will continue to mature if not improve.  It can be cellared for another seven to ten yea

This is a wonderful Riesling made in the Alsace region of France.  It is a distinct style that is different from neighboring Germany.  In Alsace it can be hard to tell if a wine is dry or sweet.  This one is dry.  It is young and needs more time, but even so, it provides a lot of pleasure today.  Light golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose has minerals, orange peel and slight peach.  On the palate, this is full bodied and slightly viscous.  Delicious.  Notes of orange peel and peaches carry thru along with a hint of ginger over a mineral base.  This wine needs a decade at least until

2005 was an excellent vintage in Burgundy and even the basic Bourgogne's are still drinking well.  This one is better than most.  Deep ruby in color, clear and bright.  The nose has nice cherries, some spice and a touch of earthy funk.  On the palate, fresh cherries with tight layering.  A nice earthiness underneath.  There is plenty of fruit here.  It is tasty.  Long finish.  This should continue to drink well for another five to seven years.  A nice match with roasted chicken.  

This is a Syrah from the Northern Rhone Valley in France.  Crozes-Hermitage is a great source of values and this is one of the best wines made.  At age ten, this is cruising along and just entering adulthood.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has black raspberries, black olives, slight bacon fat and spice.  Pretty classic.  On the palate, this shows a tight complexity that unwinds in the glass.  Layers of black raspberries with an earthiness and a meatiness to it.  Delicious.  Long finish.  This should drink well for the nest ten years.  A nice match with brisket or roasted chi

This is a great example of why to buy inexpensive Bordeaux in great vintages.  This was $12,50 on release.  I bought a bunch and this was the last bottle (I think).  it was quite enjoyable.  Is it amazing and complex?  No, but at age 15, it was delicious, and pleasurable.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose has cherries, slight dried cherries and a bit of baking spices and tobacco.  On the palate, this is medium bodied.  Plenty of cherry fruit with an underlying earthiness.  Some complexity.  Tannins are mostly resolved.  Moderate finish.  This drinks fine on its own but would be b

This is 60% Grenache and 40% Syrah.  It comes in an attractive more squat bottle.  Ruby in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is warm with a dusty attic quality.  Lots of cherries with garrique.  Also some old wood notes.  Very comforting.  On the palate, this is ripe/sweet on the attack.  Black cherries and slight cherry pie filling.  Some acidity.  This took about an hour or air to settle out.  Served to a small socially distanced group, this was quite popular.  It drinks well on its own and would be a great match for barbecues ribs or chicken this summer.  It should probably be co

It really is amazing how Rosé's have really stepped up their game over the last ten to twenty years.  And, the buying public has noticed all over the world.  This is a blend of 75% Grenache, 15% Cinsault and 10% Syrah.  Pale silvery/salmon pink in color.  Clear and bright.  The nose has cherries, slight strawberries and slight tarragon.  On the palate, this is light bodied but has some backbone.  Crisp and refreshing.  It drinks easy with some complexity.  The strawberries carry thru with some underlying minerality.  Drink now.  Great on its own and will drink well with many foods including

Crozes is an excellent source for great values in Syrah.  This is another example.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has black raspberries, slight bacon fat and roasted meats and black olives.  Full bodied.  On the palate, the black raspberries are upfront with underlying minerality and char.  This is drinking deliciously now, but it seems to have the stuffing to improve a bit.  it certainly has ten years left, or more, of great drinking.  A nice match for charcuterie or roasted meats and veggies.   

Always a treat to try this wine which is one of the best, if not the best, wines made in Barsac (next to Sauternes).  This is young but gorgeous.  Light golden in color.  The nose is so pretty with cantaloupe and honey and a slight salinity.  On the palate, this is sweet, not cloying with an unctuous texture.  A nice bit of acidity to keep it lively though not a lot.  The melon and honey come thru to the palate along with some apricot.  Long finish.  This will easily last another 25 years or more if well stored.  It drinks great on its own but also would work well with a less sweet (and non

This was tasted non-blind at the conclusion of tasting a group of 16/17 Bordeaux blind.  A great place to try this wine as it showed well in that spot.  This is a big wine that is drinking quite well at the moment, perhaps due to the large amount of Merlot.  It is a blend of 60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon.