Coravin 4/29/16: Light ruby color, clear; nose is highly aromatic with strawberry and red fruit, slight earthiness, slight spice; palate is light bodied, deep core of red fruit, acidity is medium-plus but well integrated and never shrill, alcohol is low and balanced; finish is medium length. The nose is excellent and youthful, and the balance makes it very easy to drink now. For the price, this is a steal for an everyday drinker. 90-91
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
(4/30/2016)
Deep ruby with minimal bricking; aromatic nose with blackberry, ripe black cherry, nice but not much depth to the nose; palate is full bodied, ripe well integrated but still a tad youthful tannin, excellent concentration of blackberry fruit throughout; finish is medium length. This is very nice, a riper style but more balanced than 2013 when I tried it last (it had some VA on the nose then), nice fruit throughout but it lacks depth and complexity beyond the fruit. I don't necessarily think it will gain those with age, it may just lose fruit. Drink over the next 4-5 years. 90-91
Translucent light ruby; nose is aromatic with red fruits, salinity, slightly shrill; palate is light bodied, good red fruit through the initial palate, fades a bit through the midpalate, lacks depth and length; short finish. Entry level pinot, not bad for the price but don't expect more. 84
Coravin 4/30/16: Purple in color; nose is medium aromatic, nice concentration of ripe blueberry, almost plums, smoked wood, iodine, with air some meaty/gamey aromas come out; palate is medium to full bodied, surprisingly high acid (medium-plus to high), tannins are approachable and well integrated, not drying at all, plenty of juicy fruit throughout the palate; finish is short-medium. For an entry-level cuvee, this is quite good. Youthful in terms of its fruit and complexity, but still approachable, wonderful freshness and depth of fruit, excellent balance, only requires a bit of effort on the nose to discern all the complexity and the finish is a bit short. Nice for the price, and I'm interested what the upper level cuvees are like. 89-90 5/2/16: Finished the bottle. The nose seems even more aromatic with iodine, meat, black fruit; palate is smooth, medium bodied, tannins fully integrated despite its youth, easy to drink; finish is medium length today. Seems like a step up from when first tasted, and definitely worth its $30 price tag. 90-91 After a few hours it develops a tartness on the palate. It still has density of fruit and isn't shrill, but it is tart. Unclear whether this will improve with age or if it's just a style of the wine. Back to 89-90.
2012 Domaine Jean-Marc Morey Santenay Les Cornières 90 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Santenay
(4/29/2016)
Coravin 4/29/16: Light ruby color, clear; nose is highly aromatic with strawberry and red fruit, slight earthiness, slight spice; palate is light bodied, deep core of red fruit, acidity is medium-plus but well integrated and never shrill, alcohol is low and balanced; finish is medium length. The nose is excellent and youthful, and the balance makes it very easy to drink now. For the price, this is a steal for an everyday drinker. 90-91
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2000 Château Grand Mayne 91 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
(4/30/2016)
Deep ruby with minimal bricking; aromatic nose with blackberry, ripe black cherry, nice but not much depth to the nose; palate is full bodied, ripe well integrated but still a tad youthful tannin, excellent concentration of blackberry fruit throughout; finish is medium length. This is very nice, a riper style but more balanced than 2013 when I tried it last (it had some VA on the nose then), nice fruit throughout but it lacks depth and complexity beyond the fruit. I don't necessarily think it will gain those with age, it may just lose fruit. Drink over the next 4-5 years. 90-91
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2013 Bacchus Cellars Pinot Noir Ginger's Cuvee 84 Points
USA, California
(4/30/2016)
Translucent light ruby; nose is aromatic with red fruits, salinity, slightly shrill; palate is light bodied, good red fruit through the initial palate, fades a bit through the midpalate, lacks depth and length; short finish. Entry level pinot, not bad for the price but don't expect more. 84
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2014 Domaine Auguste Clape Le Vin des Amis 89 Points
France, Rhône, Vin de France
(4/30/2016)
Coravin 4/30/16: Purple in color; nose is medium aromatic, nice concentration of ripe blueberry, almost plums, smoked wood, iodine, with air some meaty/gamey aromas come out; palate is medium to full bodied, surprisingly high acid (medium-plus to high), tannins are approachable and well integrated, not drying at all, plenty of juicy fruit throughout the palate; finish is short-medium. For an entry-level cuvee, this is quite good. Youthful in terms of its fruit and complexity, but still approachable, wonderful freshness and depth of fruit, excellent balance, only requires a bit of effort on the nose to discern all the complexity and the finish is a bit short. Nice for the price, and I'm interested what the upper level cuvees are like. 89-90
5/2/16: Finished the bottle. The nose seems even more aromatic with iodine, meat, black fruit; palate is smooth, medium bodied, tannins fully integrated despite its youth, easy to drink; finish is medium length today. Seems like a step up from when first tasted, and definitely worth its $30 price tag. 90-91
After a few hours it develops a tartness on the palate. It still has density of fruit and isn't shrill, but it is tart. Unclear whether this will improve with age or if it's just a style of the wine. Back to 89-90.
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