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

2016 Alain Jaume & Fils Gigondas Terrasses de Montmirail, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$30.00USD

This is very good and for $30 a nice value.  Purple in color.  The nose has black cherries, slight mocha, spice and plums.  On the palate, this has a wonderful texture.  Juicy and plush.  Lots of black cherry fruit.  The mocha note carries thru.  Medium to full bodied.  Good acidity.  Delicious.  Will work with heavier foods (think cassoulet).  This has some upscale with future development and should be good for another decade, maybe more.  

2014 Clos Margalaine, France, Bordeaux, Margaux, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2014
Score: 
88
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$35.00USD

Purple in color.  The nose has black cherries, slight barnyard and a bit of cigar tobacco.  On the palate, this is medium bodied.  Drinking well right now with black cherry fruit and underlying earthiness.  Good acidity.  Should be pretty food friendly for medium or heavier foods.  Nice finish.  Drink now.  It might last for five more years, but won't get any better.  

2006 Domaine René Leclerc Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Champeaux, France, Burgundy, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2006
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$85.00USD

This seemed to be in a great place right now.  Ruby in color.  The nose is cherries, slight sour cherries and slight anise.  On the palate, this is still youthful but showing nice depth.  Slightly viscous.  Sour cherries and cherries with underlying anise and minerals.  Good finish.  This will work with a wide variety of foods, even sea food.  Probably needs another five years until peak and then should drink well for another decade after that.  

2012 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave St. Joseph, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2012
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$75.00USD

Purple in color.  The nose is great with black raspberries, black pepper, slight charred meats and hints of bacon.  On the palate, this is pretty ripe for St. Joseph but well with limits.  Lovely, full texture.  Lots of black raspberry fruit with underlying earth.  Deep with layers that unwind in the glass.  Still young but getting there.  Needs bigger or spicy foods to match.  Works well on its own.  A bit expensive for a St. Joseph but well worth the $60 tariff release price. 

2012 Château Haut-Brion, France, Bordeaux, Pessac-Leognan, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2012
Score: 
98
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$450.00USD

Its hard to believe that a First Growth can exceed expectations, but this one did.  From a good not great vintage, this wine was tremendous.  Purple/ruby in color.  The nose is great with cherries, chocolate, and slight tobacco.  A soft texture that makes the wine very accessible.  Some silky tannins.  This is delicious.  Young but open.  Cherries and milk chocolate on the palate.  This will work with heavier foods.  This should get better over the next couple of decades, but it is great right now.  

1995 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou, France, Bordeaux, Wine Review

Vintage: 
1995
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$150.00USD

Decanted for sediment and served.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose is earthy with cedar, spice, cassis, and slight celery note.  Much more developed and intense on the palate.  Cassis and slight tobacco.  Good finish.  Classic Bordeaux.  Served with hearty foods and meats.  This producer had some issues in the late 80's but since the mid-90's they have been doing a great job.  

2014 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Grands-Echezeaux, France, Burgundy, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2014
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$1800.00USD

Its always a treat to drink wines from DRC.  This is obviously young but was drinking quite well.  Ruby in color, clear and bright.  An intoxicating nose.  Earthy with macerated cherries, spice and a slight clay note.  On the palate, this took some time to open.  Sour cherries with a soft texture.  Tightly layered.  Long finish.  Very smooth, not bite.  A couple of ounces saved for day 2 was even better showing more depth and medium tannins.  Also a bit of anise on the finish.  For those lucky enough to be able to afford this and can find it, ageing will be rewarded.  

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

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