France

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Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose has macerated cherries with a slight Burgundy funk.  This wine is still youthful and needs some time to develop.  it unwinds slowly in the glass as the nose gets more pronounced.  On the palate, there are slight tannins.  Nice red cherry fruit.  Deep but needs air/time to show its complexity.  With air a nice spice quality comes out on the finish.  This wine really begs for food and should pair nicely with a wide variety of foods.  It should peak in about five more years and be good for a decade after that.  

Opened by a friend to celebrate another friends birthday.  70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay.  Light golden in color.  A nice head with lots of smallish bubbles.  The nose is nice with burnt hay and slight citrus.  On the palate, there is some citrus and minerals.  Long finish.  Good acidity.  This is very food friendly and will work with a wide variety of foods.  

Made from 100% Pinot Noir.  Salmon pink in color.  Head has larger bubbles. The nose is nice with strawberries and slight apple notes.  A bit lean and crisp.  On the palate, flavors of strawberries continue thru along with some watermelon.  There is a slight bitterness on the mid-palate.  Overall, this drinks easy.  Worked well with some cheeses.  Made a nice starter at a party.

Yquem might be the single greatest wine in the world.  Yes, those are bold words, but it is arguably true.  This bottle was wonderful indeed.  Paired with Mango roses in a Rose water and honey sauce, it was sublime.  Light golden in color, this wine is still quite young.  The nose is amazing with slight apricot, lots of honey and orange peel.  Viscous and sweet, not cloying.  The orange peel and honey carry thru.  The thing about Yquem is the finish.  It goes on forever and ever.  Very nice acidity in 2011.  This bottle will continue to age and mature for fifty years and no doubt at some po

This bottle was bought on release back when it was affordable.  My last bottle, and it was served at dinner with friends along with an eggplant and tomato soup.  A very good pairing.  The wine itself is very interesting.  Plenty of depth and complexity but showing quite youthfully.  Medium golden in color.  The nose has apricots, slight vanilla, slight marzipan and a hint of tropical fruit.  On the palate, full bodied.  Ever so slightly oily texture.  Delicious vanilla, peach, and waxy notes.  Complex and layered, it unwinds nicely in a glass.  Great balance.  Long finish.  Everything I cou

Excellent showing for this wine.  Light silvery gold in color.  A nice mousse with lots of smaller bubbles.  On the nose, nice red apples notes with just the slightest bit of nuttiness (almonds?).  Full bodied but not flamboyant.  Lots of minerals and apples on the palate.  Good acidity.  Worked well with roasted chickpeas and almonds.  Long finish.  This has a very nice complexity to it and though it tastes mature, it seems like there is still some room to go further.  Very dry finish.  It is listed as Brut Nature so that makes sense.  

This is a nice value in 1er Cru Champagne.  It drinks very well right now.  Light golden in color with a nice head of small bubbles.  The nose is nice with a green apple note along with some faint toast qualities.  In general, this is more on the austere side of Champagne which is not a bad thing.  Plenty of acidity.  Long finish.  This was served to friends at the start of the evening along side some roasted chick peas and that proved a fine pairing a great start to the evening.  I don't think this will improve and these bottles, purchased in the last year, should be drunk in the next year

A Burgundy for under $15?  Hard to beat that price.  As for the wine, it is fine.  Easy drinking.  Some Pinot characteristics.  Light ruby in color.  Cherries on the nose and palate.  Light bodied.  Made for immediate drinking.  Actually, for the price, this is a great Pinot value.  

Purple/ruby in color.  The nose is nice with black raspberries, slight raspberries, a bit of minerality and spice.  On the palate, this is mid-weight.  Drinking well right now.  Light tannins.  Good acidity.  Ripe enough black raspberry fruit.  This will work well with stews and roasts and is better with food.  Some peppery qualities on the finish.  Probably needs to be consumed in the next five years.  

This a very nice value in Cabernet Franc made from biodynamically grown grapes.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose is nice.  2010 was a warmer vintage and that matters for Cab Franc.  If under ripe, it can be a bit green.  Very nice black cherry fruit along with some cigar tobacco.  On the palate, this has a nice texture.  The black cherry fruit carries thru.  Good acidity.  There is some forest floor which is nice.  This begs for food and worked well with middle eastern fare.  Good finish.  Drinking well now but should cruise thru the next ten years.