Alpine wines

We got a good group of friends together for a loosely-themed "Alpine wine" dinner. I wish we could've sourced more Swiss and Valle d'Aosta wines, but those are not easy to find! We expanded the wines to include Jura because, well, we love Jura, and it's kinda close to the Alps, eh? A random Barbaresco snuck in, too. Good times, really fun wines, and a mix of vegetable, pasta and fish dishes worked well.

• NV Lambert de Seyssel Seyssel Petit Royal 90 Points

  France, Savoie, Seyssel

  This was a lot of fun, a Pet-Nat blend of Molette and Altesse. Rich nose of peaches, lemon curd, candle wax. Rich texture, nice depth, but really zippy and salty as well. Subtle bubbles, creamy-lees notes add texture. I really liked this stuff.

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• NV Domaine la Bohème Festejar! 90 Points

  France, Vin de France

  Cool nose of candied red fruit, cracked black pepper, spiced tea. Faint bubbles, this has zippy acidity and some tannins, too. Cherries and red apples with a nice dose of funk (not too much), and some interesting menthol and pepper elements. Crushable yet complex, spicy and a bit wild but also pretty and clean.

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• 2017 Renardat-Fâche Cerdon 88 Points

  France, Savoie, Vin du Bugey-Cerdon

  Perfumed and floral on the nose, with candied red fruit mixed with tea, herbs, cinnamon. Sweetness balanced by vibrant acidity and slight bubbles. Juicy, candied red fruits mixed with cinnamon, herbs and tea notes. Fun, crushable stuff. 7.5% alcohol, this is a unique méthode ancestrale blend of Gamay and Poulsard.

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• 2016 Grosjean Petite Arvine Valle d'Aosta Vigne Rovettaz 91 Points

  Italy, Valle d'Aosta

  Fascinating stuff. The nose is steely and floral with honey and lemon curd. Creamy depth on the palate but there’s bright acidity and a good dose of saline-infused mineral goodness. Fresh and vibrant with yellow apple, lemons, rich fruit but complex non-fruit elements as well. Balanced, complex, a lot going for it.

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• 2016 Maison Gilliard Fendant Les Murettes 89 Points

  Switzerland, Valais, Sion

  Well, this was a pleasant surprise. At first it smelled quite “neutral” but with air and warmth it opened up to show peaches, lemon crème, airy/floral notes. Nice depth of texture, a waxy feel but bright acidity. Dusty mineral and chalk notes with hay, honey. Pleasantly subtle and nuanced.

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• 2016 Domaine Belluard Gringet Vin de Savoie Les Alpes 93 Points

  France, Savoie, Vin de Savoie

  Dense nose – there is a lot in here – but it breathes and show lemon curd, honey, sea salt. Killer depth on the palate, there’s this plump texture but the acidity and minerality are laser-liked, focused, and pristine. Pretty apples and lemons mixed with minerals, smashed rocks, chalk dust and salted almond. Deep, pretty, this really started to sing after a few hours open. My wine of the night.

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• 2014 Domaine du Pélican Savagnin Ouillé 92 Points

  France, Jura, Arbois

  This wine evolved a ton with air. Deep yellow color. Heavy aromas, this is a dense wine, but it opens to show honey, nuts, nougat, saline, seaweed and a big heaping portion of lemon crème pie. The palate shows really rich texture, and the oak is evident, but there’s still this great saline aspect and crisp, crunchy acidity. Deep yellow fruits laced with minerals, honey, almond and salted butter. There’s a lot going on here, and it got more and more expressive. I’d love to see what this does with five to eight years of age.

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• 1988 Camille Loye Trousseau Arbois

  France, Jura, Arbois

  The nose is like a mix of Tawny port, tomato plant and volatility. Plush and sweet on the palate, Port-like with some baked fruit and lots of candied nuts. Not much acidity. Old and odd.

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• 2016 Caveau de Bacchus Poulsard Arbois Cuvée des Docteurs 90 Points

  France, Jura, Arbois

  The funk blew off to show red apple, spiced tea, pepper and green herbs. Bright and spicy with raspberry and red apple peel, dusty tannins. Zippy and spicy with pepper and herbs. This got more and more smooth and refreshing with air.

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• 2016 Château de Merande La belle romaine 85 Points

  France, Savoie, Vin de Savoie Arbin

  So much laffy taffy on the nose, along with pepper and black tea. The palate is dry, the tannins seem a bit bitter and green, medium acidity. Juicy purple fruit mixes with smoky earth, pepper and black tea. Interesting stuff, but not a very balanced wine. Maybe it deserved more time and air. Made from Mondeuse Noir.

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• 2017 Domaine des Ardoisières Argile Rouge 92 Points

  France, Savoie, Vin des Allobroges

  Loving the nose here, as it’s a big mix of spices and savory elements (pepper, leather, spiced tea, scorched earth) on top of juicy raspberries and black cherries. Plush texture on the palate, with dusty tannins and really lively acidity, the balance is lovely. Juicy raspberries and red apple doused in pepper, anise, charcoal, with smashed rocks and mineral notes. This got more and more expressive with air, and it was my favorite red of the night. A Gamay and Persan blend.

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• 2016 Bodega Colomé Malbec Estate 90 Points

  Argentina, Valles Calchaquíes, Salta, Calchaquies

  Deep purple color. Aromas are dark and tart with blackberry, blueberry, plum, with lots of loamy earth, cocoa, mint and graphite. Tangy acidity frames the wine nicely, balancing the moderate tannins, the balance is on point. Blackberry and tart blueberry, laced with mineral, graphite, earth. So pure and lively, this is showing very well now but I’d like to see it with a few years of age.

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• 2007 Socre Barbaresco Roncaglie 91 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

  Nose of black cherries, smoky earth, leather, spiced coffee. Big, dense, serious grip, this is bold and young. Leather, menthol and anise notes add some complexity. Mid-palate has so much going on, and it’s delicious and put-together well, but the tannins finish so dry. Bury for a decade.

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