A pretty rare wine - only 3% of production at this 38ha Domaine is white. It is a blend of 60% Clairette, roughly equal parts of Ugni Blanc and Bourboulenc, and a little (3%) Marsanne. Clay and limestone soils, aged for 8-10 months in small oak barrels. Complex nose with subtle aromas of fennel, bergamot, white peach, flower honey and smoky minerals, good depth; soft but fresh palate, mineral and silky and rounded, beautifully balanced, zesty bitters, citrus flavours (meyer lemon, orange, lime); light finish, very good length.
Mainly from old vines (>60 years) in the Malterdinger Bienenberg, fermented and aged in oak. Wonderfully complete and elegant Chardonnay, matchstick style on the nose not unlike PYCM or C-D, silky and with attractive subtle bitters, playful and focused, seamless and with very little oak influence, nuanced apple and citrus fruit, hint of unripe pineapple, very good length.
France, Languedoc Roussillon, Roussillon, Vin de Pays des Pyrénees-Orientales
From Carignan vines planted in 1903 - 115 years ago. Twenty-three years before the birth of Monsieur Paul Bocuse, who passed away today. The end of an era. We received this very sad tiding while we were enjoying this bottle of wine. Bright and youthful, concentrated but elegant, amazing mineral energy from the schist and clay soils, fresh black cherry fruit, hints of coffee and cinnamon, black spices and flowers, lovely density, beautifully integrated skin tannins, terse but with real precision and drive into the finish. A glorious Carignan. Drink now - 2023+.
Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale
Velvety, very fresh and youthful for its 16 years, flowers and fruity black pepper, lovely tertiary development towards spicy beef stock, very good depth of flavour, crushed red berries, powerful but quite elegant for its 14.5% ABV, pure flavours, bright tannins, good length. A fine specimen.
Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale
Made from 100% red Frontignac. Lovely fruit, spiced peach, strawberry, sweet but refreshing, gentle mousse, intense flavours, light as a feather (4.5% ABV) crème patissière, very good length. A more refined foil for a toffee cake and sea buckthorn dessert than most Moscato d'Asti would be.
Ripe but fresh, not at all fruit driven, vinous and slightly vegetal but hardly bursting with pyrazines, slightly reduced, deep and pure, intense and elegant, seamless acidity, subtle bitters, very long. A relaxed but energetic Sancerre in a truly individualistic style.
Cloudy yellow colour; yeasty and floral nose like a Belgian wheat beer; fresh and bitter palate, lively and youthful, yeasty flavours, hint of cream; firm bitters, good length. Highly unusual, but if you take it for what it is, it is far from unpleasant.
NV Billecart-Salmon Champagne Brut Réserve 91 Points
France, Champagne
Identical to my previous note. The current batch of this wine (in the Netherlands at least) seems to be in fine fettle.
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2014 Domaine Tempier Bandol Blanc 92 Points
France, Provence, Bandol
A pretty rare wine - only 3% of production at this 38ha Domaine is white. It is a blend of 60% Clairette, roughly equal parts of Ugni Blanc and Bourboulenc, and a little (3%) Marsanne. Clay and limestone soils, aged for 8-10 months in small oak barrels. Complex nose with subtle aromas of fennel, bergamot, white peach, flower honey and smoky minerals, good depth; soft but fresh palate, mineral and silky and rounded, beautifully balanced, zesty bitters, citrus flavours (meyer lemon, orange, lime); light finish, very good length.
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2014 Bernhard Huber Chardonnay Alte Reben 91 Points
Germany, Baden
Mainly from old vines (>60 years) in the Malterdinger Bienenberg, fermented and aged in oak. Wonderfully complete and elegant Chardonnay, matchstick style on the nose not unlike PYCM or C-D, silky and with attractive subtle bitters, playful and focused, seamless and with very little oak influence, nuanced apple and citrus fruit, hint of unripe pineapple, very good length.
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2013 Le Roc des Anges Carignan de 1903 92 Points
France, Languedoc Roussillon, Roussillon, Vin de Pays des Pyrénees-Orientales
From Carignan vines planted in 1903 - 115 years ago. Twenty-three years before the birth of Monsieur Paul Bocuse, who passed away today. The end of an era. We received this very sad tiding while we were enjoying this bottle of wine. Bright and youthful, concentrated but elegant, amazing mineral energy from the schist and clay soils, fresh black cherry fruit, hints of coffee and cinnamon, black spices and flowers, lovely density, beautifully integrated skin tannins, terse but with real precision and drive into the finish. A glorious Carignan. Drink now - 2023+.
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2002 Oliver's Taranga Vineyards Shiraz 91 Points
Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale
Velvety, very fresh and youthful for its 16 years, flowers and fruity black pepper, lovely tertiary development towards spicy beef stock, very good depth of flavour, crushed red berries, powerful but quite elegant for its 14.5% ABV, pure flavours, bright tannins, good length. A fine specimen.
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2016 Wirra Wirra Moscato Mrs Wigley 90 Points
Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale
Made from 100% red Frontignac. Lovely fruit, spiced peach, strawberry, sweet but refreshing, gentle mousse, intense flavours, light as a feather (4.5% ABV) crème patissière, very good length. A more refined foil for a toffee cake and sea buckthorn dessert than most Moscato d'Asti would be.
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2008 Domaine François Cotat Sancerre Les Culs de Beaujeu 92 Points
France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Sancerre
Ripe but fresh, not at all fruit driven, vinous and slightly vegetal but hardly bursting with pyrazines, slightly reduced, deep and pure, intense and elegant, seamless acidity, subtle bitters, very long. A relaxed but energetic Sancerre in a truly individualistic style.
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2014 Stefan Vetter Sylvaner 88 Points
Germany, Franken
Cloudy yellow colour; yeasty and floral nose like a Belgian wheat beer; fresh and bitter palate, lively and youthful, yeasty flavours, hint of cream; firm bitters, good length. Highly unusual, but if you take it for what it is, it is far from unpleasant.
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