-- tasted a couple pours non-blind over approx. 15 min. --
Nearly colorless. Powdery nose with crisp stone fruit aromas and backing minerals. Medium-light bodied on the palate: notes of white plum and lychee; good minerality; great acidity; long finish of medium-light intensity; 13% alc. not noticeable. This was fermented completely in stainless steel. I thought this was quite nice, and actually consider it to be a better wine than the slightly more expensive oaked version from the same producer. One of my top three wines of the tasting. Gut impression score: 87 - 89
-- tasted a single pour non-blind over approx. 10 min. --
Light golden yellow color. Nose was light, inexpressive, and showing almost nothing. Palate was almost completely devoid of any fruit flavors, as it was dominated by mineral and wool; a bit lacking in acidity; 12.5% alc. well-hidden; medium-long finish; wasn’t impressed by this one. Gut impression score: 82 - 84
-- tasted a couple pours non-blind over approx. 15 min. --
Nearly colorless. Interesting and moderately expressive Nose was dominated by light red berry tones. Medium-light bodied on the palate; light-to-moderate oak is noticeable; light typical Chard. flavors; medium-light finish of medium length. Gut impression score: 84 - 86
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Collines Rhodaniennes
-- tasted a couple pours non-blind over approx. 15 min. --
Very light tan-yellow color. The Nose on this was very nice and expressive, with its spicy floral tones. However, it disappointed me greatly on the palate: very minerally, with hints of lychee and green banana --- fruits were very light. 13.5% alc. not noticeable. This wine seemed to lack energy, and didn’t excite me at all. To be fair, I’m generally not a fan of Viognier, and many others in the room were quite taken by this wine. Gut impression score: 86 – 88
-- tasted a couple pours non-blind over approx. 15 min. --
Nearly colorless color, with slight green shading. Nose was simple, but expressive, with typical Gewurz. aromas of lychee and flowers. Medium bodied on the palate. Lychee is repeated on the palate, and has a juicy nature; decent acidity; moderate r.s.; medium-short finish of medium-light intensity; 13% alc. is well-hidden. Not complex, but a very solid daily drinker at an attractive price. Gut impression score: 86 - 88
-- tasted a couple pours non-blind over approx. 15 min. --
Yellow-tan color of medium-light depth. Expressive Nose: orange sherbet and a hint of powder. Ripe, powdery lychee fruit on the palate; really gives the impression of being an off-dry wine, but I’m not entirely convinced that’s the case; intensely flavored on the palate, but only has a medium-light finish of short length. 12% alc. is not noticeable. Very good value at about $20. One of my top three wines of the tasting. Gut impression score: 88 - 90
-- tasted a couple pours non-blind over approx. 15 min. --
Violet-ruby color with slight bricking at the edges. Nose was moderately expressive, featuring a cool red currant aroma with hints of cement and raspberry adding complexity. On the palate, this was green/stalky, with hints of red licorice rope, mint, and flowers. 13% alc. was well-hidden. Some fine tannin still provides grip. Not a very intensely-flavored wine. Would pair well lots of different foods. Surprising to see a Beaujolais of this age perform this nicely; I wouldn’t say I was blown away by this, but given its cheap price of admission (about $20) I feel it’s worth another look. Gut impression score: 85 – 87
France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Terrasses du Larzac
-- tasted a couple pours non-blind over approx. 15 min. --
Purple-tinged garnet color of medium depth. Very Grenache-y Nose: strawberry; some oak; not funky. Very oaky, with a surprising green streak on the palate; purple fruits; good acidity; 14% alc. well-hidden; I thought this was decent (and overpriced), but many others in the room liked it quite a lot. Gut impression score: 86 – 88
-- tasted a couple pours non-blind over approx. 15 min. -- -- 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot --
Purple-tinged garnet color of great depth. Nose was tight, with a hint of black licorice. Somewhat bitter on the palate; the C.S. and P.V. seem to overshadow the Merlot in the blend; moderate oak; decent acidiy; medium-short finish; adequate tannins; 13.5% alc. not noticeable; could use a couple years to settle down a bit, but I don’t see this wine ever turning into something better than “good.” I had a pour both from a bottle than had been open for an hour+, as well as from a bottle that was opened the previous day: the pour from the bottle that had been open for a day was a bit better than the pour from the bottle that was opened about an hour or so earlier, but not enough to change my opinion of the wine. Gut impression score: 84 - 86
-- tasted a couple pours non-blind over approx. 15 min. -- -- 100% Petit Manseng --
Golden yellow color of medium depth. Wonderfully expressive Nose, teeming with botrytis and marmalade, as well as a background note of strawberry jam. A sweet wine. Flavors of bitter orange peel and marmalade on the palate; elegant, with nice acidity; 12% not noticeable; excellent wine. My favorite wine of the tasting. Gut impression score: 90 – 92
-- tasted a couple pours non-blind over approx. 15 min. -- -- mostly Grenache --
Deep ruby red color. Nose showed a licorice rope aroma, as well as clear oxidative notes, revealing the fact that this fortified wine was made in the rancio style. Palate was very port-like, with some oak noticeable. 16.5% alc.. I have a strong dislike for this style of wine, so judgment is reserved.
2010 Domaine Jean-Paul Balland Sancerre
France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Sancerre
-- tasted a couple pours non-blind over approx. 15 min. --
Nearly colorless. Powdery nose with crisp stone fruit aromas and backing minerals. Medium-light bodied on the palate: notes of white plum and lychee; good minerality; great acidity; long finish of medium-light intensity; 13% alc. not noticeable. This was fermented completely in stainless steel. I thought this was quite nice, and actually consider it to be a better wine than the slightly more expensive oaked version from the same producer. One of my top three wines of the tasting. Gut impression score: 87 - 89
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2009 Thierry Hamelin Chablis Vieilles Vignes
France, Burgundy, Chablis
-- tasted a single pour non-blind over approx. 10 min. --
Light golden yellow color. Nose was light, inexpressive, and showing almost nothing. Palate was almost completely devoid of any fruit flavors, as it was dominated by mineral and wool; a bit lacking in acidity; 12.5% alc. well-hidden; medium-long finish; wasn’t impressed by this one. Gut impression score: 82 - 84
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2009 Domaine du Meix-Foulot Mercurey Blanc
France, Burgundy, Côte Chalonnaise, Mercurey
-- tasted a couple pours non-blind over approx. 15 min. --
Nearly colorless. Interesting and moderately expressive Nose was dominated by light red berry tones. Medium-light bodied on the palate; light-to-moderate oak is noticeable; light typical Chard. flavors; medium-light finish of medium length. Gut impression score: 84 - 86
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2010 Domaine Yves Cuilleron Viognier
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Collines Rhodaniennes
-- tasted a couple pours non-blind over approx. 15 min. --
Very light tan-yellow color. The Nose on this was very nice and expressive, with its spicy floral tones. However, it disappointed me greatly on the palate: very minerally, with hints of lychee and green banana --- fruits were very light. 13.5% alc. not noticeable. This wine seemed to lack energy, and didn’t excite me at all. To be fair, I’m generally not a fan of Viognier, and many others in the room were quite taken by this wine. Gut impression score: 86 – 88
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2010 Cave Vinicole de Hunawihr Gewurztraminer
France, Alsace
-- tasted a couple pours non-blind over approx. 15 min. --
Nearly colorless color, with slight green shading. Nose was simple, but expressive, with typical Gewurz. aromas of lychee and flowers. Medium bodied on the palate. Lychee is repeated on the palate, and has a juicy nature; decent acidity; moderate r.s.; medium-short finish of medium-light intensity; 13% alc. is well-hidden. Not complex, but a very solid daily drinker at an attractive price. Gut impression score: 86 - 88
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2010 Domaine Bruno Sorg Muscat
France, Alsace
-- tasted a couple pours non-blind over approx. 15 min. --
Yellow-tan color of medium-light depth. Expressive Nose: orange sherbet and a hint of powder. Ripe, powdery lychee fruit on the palate; really gives the impression of being an off-dry wine, but I’m not entirely convinced that’s the case; intensely flavored on the palate, but only has a medium-light finish of short length. 12% alc. is not noticeable. Very good value at about $20. One of my top three wines of the tasting. Gut impression score: 88 - 90
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2005 Domaine des Vieilles Caves Chénas
France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Chénas
-- tasted a couple pours non-blind over approx. 15 min. --
Violet-ruby color with slight bricking at the edges. Nose was moderately expressive, featuring a cool red currant aroma with hints of cement and raspberry adding complexity. On the palate, this was green/stalky, with hints of red licorice rope, mint, and flowers. 13% alc. was well-hidden. Some fine tannin still provides grip. Not a very intensely-flavored wine. Would pair well lots of different foods. Surprising to see a Beaujolais of this age perform this nicely; I wouldn’t say I was blown away by this, but given its cheap price of admission (about $20) I feel it’s worth another look. Gut impression score: 85 – 87
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2008 Domaine de Montcalmes Terrasses du Larzac Rouge
France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Terrasses du Larzac
-- tasted a couple pours non-blind over approx. 15 min. --
Purple-tinged garnet color of medium depth. Very Grenache-y Nose: strawberry; some oak; not funky. Very oaky, with a surprising green streak on the palate; purple fruits; good acidity; 14% alc. well-hidden; I thought this was decent (and overpriced), but many others in the room liked it quite a lot. Gut impression score: 86 – 88
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2009 Château La Tour de By
France, Bordeaux, Médoc
-- tasted a couple pours non-blind over approx. 15 min. --
-- 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot --
Purple-tinged garnet color of great depth. Nose was tight, with a hint of black licorice. Somewhat bitter on the palate; the C.S. and P.V. seem to overshadow the Merlot in the blend; moderate oak; decent acidiy; medium-short finish; adequate tannins; 13.5% alc. not noticeable; could use a couple years to settle down a bit, but I don’t see this wine ever turning into something better than “good.” I had a pour both from a bottle than had been open for an hour+, as well as from a bottle that was opened the previous day: the pour from the bottle that had been open for a day was a bit better than the pour from the bottle that was opened about an hour or so earlier, but not enough to change my opinion of the wine. Gut impression score: 84 - 86
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2010 Charles Hours Jurançon Uroulat
France, Southwest France, Jurançon
-- tasted a couple pours non-blind over approx. 15 min. --
-- 100% Petit Manseng --
Golden yellow color of medium depth. Wonderfully expressive Nose, teeming with botrytis and marmalade, as well as a background note of strawberry jam. A sweet wine. Flavors of bitter orange peel and marmalade on the palate; elegant, with nice acidity; 12% not noticeable; excellent wine. My favorite wine of the tasting. Gut impression score: 90 – 92
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NV Domaine Pouderoux Maury Grande Réserve
France, Languedoc Roussillon, Roussillon, Maury
-- tasted a couple pours non-blind over approx. 15 min. --
-- mostly Grenache --
Deep ruby red color. Nose showed a licorice rope aroma, as well as clear oxidative notes, revealing the fact that this fortified wine was made in the rancio style. Palate was very port-like, with some oak noticeable. 16.5% alc.. I have a strong dislike for this style of wine, so judgment is reserved.
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