Burgundy, Rhone, Provence Trip

Burgundy, Rhone, Provence, France
Tasted Monday, September 3, 2018 - Saturday, September 15, 2018 by rocknroller with 652 views

Introduction

This trip was a nice mix of wine tasting and touring starting in Beaune and moving back to Lyon for a river cruise down the Rhone, which was pretty splendid, and ended up in the Southern Rhone and Provence. The local, usually anonymous wines of the many cafes are also of note for their quality and enjoyment factor. The food on this trip was certainly spectacular as well. Paul Bocuse was a highlight among many.

Flight 1 - 9/3/18 (7 Notes)

Louis Jadot Visit

Flight 2 - Dinner at Lonny & Kim's (2 Notes)

  • 2015 Bouchard Père et Fils Beaune 1er Cru Clos de la Mousse 91 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Beaune 1er Cru

    (9/3/2018)

    Light medium red color. PNP, drank a couple glasses over 2 hours plus. Lonny's bottle - and one where he said he snapped up multiples. I can see why, this is honest, open and giving. Quite alluring and feminine, with softer acids, fine silky tannins, pretty red cherry, clove and allspice notes on a medium bodied frame. 91+pts.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 2014 Louis Jadot Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Morgeot Clos de la Chapelle Domaine du Duc de Magenta 92 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru

    (9/3/2018)

    Light gold color. PNP, drank 2 glasses over 2 hours. This was really super tonight. Picked up a bottle after tasting at Jadot before meeting Lonny and Kim at their VRBO in Beaune. This was superb with the charcuterie and Lonnys tomato tart. Very impressive, nose shows orchard fruits, green apple and pear, subtle notes of vanilla bean, with limestone minerality rding shotgun. The palate has some concentration, layers of green tree fruit, limestone, power with finesse and balance, mild wood spice. Thoroughly enjoyed this. 92+pts.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

Flight 3 - 9/4/18 (6 Notes)

Henri de Villamont Visit

Flight 4 - Chateau Corton C (Andre) Visit (6 Notes)

Flight 5 - Lunch at Bistrot du Bord de l'Eau - Hostellerie Levernois (1 Note)

Flight 6 - Domaine du Chateau de Chassagne Montrachet / Au Pied du Mont Chauve - Famille Picard Visit (6 Notes)

Flight 7 - Dinner at La Dilettante, Beaune (2 Notes)

  • 2014 Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet 91 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet

    (9/4/2018)

    Light gold color. Drank 2 glasses over 2 hours. Ordered off the list at La Dilettante in Beaune. Really another excellent showing for this wine. Very consistent with my previous note. Pristine white fruits, oak toast, medium body, crisp and juicy acidity, fine minerality and just a ine of finesse. 91+pts.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 2015 Alain Hudelot-Noëllat Chambolle-Musigny 90 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambolle-Musigny

    (9/4/2018)

    Light medium ruby color, pretty. Drank 2 glasses over 2 hours. Ordered off the list at La Dilettante in Beaune. This was a little bit slow to get its legs, but after a good 30 minutes or so, it really began to unfold. The fruit of the vintage comes into the light, mixed red berries, mineral and some sleek tannins. This should improve over a couple years yet.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

Flight 8 - 9/5/18 (7 Notes)

Moillard-Grivot Visit

Flight 9 - Chateau de La Tour / Pierre Labet Visit (3 Notes)

  • 2015 Domaine Pierre Labet Meursault Les Tillets 90 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault

    (9/5/2018)

    Tasting pour at the Domaine. Pale gold color. There's some ripeness to the fruit here, apple and pear on the nose and front end, citrus on the finish and mid, lovely balance and energy, full bodied and poised.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 2015 Domaine Pierre Labet Beaune Clos des Monsnieres 91 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Beaune

    (9/5/2018)

    Tasting pour at the Domaine. Light medium red color. Earthy, tangy red fruits, ripe berry, cherry vanilla; palate has dried earth, nice tannins, bright, ripe cherry, good spice. Tasty.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 2014 Domaine Château De La Tour Clos Vougeot Vieilles Vignes 93 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru

    (9/5/2018)

    Tasting pour at the Domaine. Medium red color. Whole cluster, 18-20 months in barrel. Oh, this is just lovely, dark red and black fruit, satiny texture, nice power and depth, floral, black cherry, dried spices. Yes please; very impressive, excellent upside of a couple points easily. 93+(+)pts.

    Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

Flight 10 - Lunch at Le Millesime Chambolle-Musigny (1 Note)

  • 2015 François Raveneau Chablis 91 Points

    France, Burgundy, Chablis

    (9/5/2018)

    Pale greenish color. Ordered this off the list at Le Millesime in Chambolle-Musigny. A damn fine bottle of wine that clearly elevates over its humble label. A bit coiled but fleshed out well over 20 minutes in glass. There's a healthy dose of fruit reflective of the vintage, though not razor sharp by any means, there seemed to be adequate acid. Citrus, lemon, tart fruit, sea breeze, brine limestone, has some nice intensity and length. 91+ to 92pts.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

Flight 11 - Rene et Francois Leclerc Visit (4 Notes)

Flight 12 - Aperitifs at Hostellerie Le Cèdre à Beaune (2 Notes)

Flight 13 - Dinner at La Lune, Beaune (3 Notes)

  • 2015 Simon Bize Savigny-lès-Beaune Blanc 90 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Savigny-lès-Beaune

    (9/5/2018)

    Light gold color. Ordered off the list at La Lune in Beaune (which for the record is outstanding and highly recommended). Very good, crisp pear, and some tart citrus back up a well made minerally wine. 90(+?)pts.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 2009 Domaine Michel Gaunoux Beaune 89 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Beaune

    (9/5/2018)

    Medium red color. Ordered off the list at La Lune in Beaune. This was a little less expressive than we'd hoped. Mineral and soil up front, more firm tannins with the red fruits more in the background. This was very slow to open, but after the first hour then it began to show a bit more grace. May improve some with additional time. 89+ to 90pts.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 2014 Domaine / Maison Vincent Girardin Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet 94 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru

    (9/5/2018)

    Pale greenish color. Drank a glass over an hour. There's a long interesting story to this note, but it have to wait til another day. A very intense nose of complex minerals, limestone, sea shell, brine, citrus, lemongrass. The palate is laser-like right now, crisp and coiled with great cut and length. There's a good bit of green fruit here, lime, lemon, pear, tart apple, but right now the overriding character is that sterling minerality reminiscent of a Les Clos Chablis. The power is certainly there and the body seems to build with some wonderful oily texture. Excellent. 94(+)pts.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

Flight 14 - 9/6/18 (3 Notes)

Lunch at Restaurant Paul Bocuse, Collonges

Flight 15 - 9/7/18 (4 Notes)

Dinner on AmaCello, Lyon

  • NV Ferdinand Pieroth Baron de Clary demi sec 83 Points

    France

    (9/7/2018)

    Served as an aperitif on the river cruise. This is what it is, sweet, simple, and non-descriptive. For me just too cloying with nothing else to compensate.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 2013 Comte de Montebello Volnay 1er Cru Santenots 92 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru

    (9/7/2018)

    Medium red color. PNP, split bottle over 3 hours. A bottle purchased while visiting Chateau Corton C and opened on the Rhone River in Lyon. This was just great tonight. A classic Volnay, feminine, sophisticated, elegant with impeccable balance. There's such pretty mix of red fruits, earth, mushroom, wet earth, dried spice and mineral on top of very polished tannins on a medium body. Loved it. Got continually better over the three hours.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 2016 Domaine Jaume Côtes du Rhône Les Collines 87 Points

    France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône

    (9/7/2018)

    Small pour. Followed over an hour. This has red cherry and some dark berry notes, pepper, and fairly full body. There is a lot to like here, but there's also that green edge to it though that I find too dominant.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 2017 Rhonéa Côtes du Rhône Légende des Toques 88 Points

    France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône

    (9/7/2018)

    Pale straw color. Drank a glass over 90 minute.A blend of Grenache Blanc, Roussanne and Viognier. pleasant, lightly floral notes from the Viognier, fairly crisp with medium body and citrus and cut apples.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

Flight 16 - 9/8/18 (3 Notes)

Domaine du Bois Pothier Visit / Beaujolais

Flight 17 - Dinner on AmaCello, Vienne (1 Note)

  • 2015 Domaine Pierre Labet Beaune Clos des Monsnieres 90 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Beaune

    (9/8/2018)

    Medium garnet red color. PNP, tasted at the Chateau and again today. Brought to dinner this evening. Was impressed when we tasted previously and this confirmed our impression. Needs about 30 minutes to open and reveals a solid core of macerated dark red berries with more subtle notes of black currants and maybe a wisp of blue fruit. There's a bit of vanillin in the mix with more noteworthy dried spices. Good acid and tartness on the palate, soft approachable tannins. Very appealing and a nice match to our roast duck this evening. This is awfully easy to drink. 90+ to 91pts.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

Flight 18 - 9/9/18 (4 Notes)

Afternoon Cruising the Northern Rhone and Dinner Wines, AmaCello, Tain L'Ermitage

Flight 19 - 9/10/18 (3 Notes)

M. Chapoutier Visit (after hiking the Hermitage Hill)

  • 2017 M. Chapoutier St. Péray Les Tanneurs 90 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, St. Péray

    (9/10/2018)

    Tasted at M. Chapoutier. 100% Marsanne, 100% steel, 20yr vines. Early drinking vintage for whites. Very good, nutty, white citrus nose, steely minerality. The palate adds stone fruits and wet stones, very fresh and balanced. Good value at 18 euros.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 2015 M. Chapoutier St. Joseph Les Granilites 89 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, St. Joseph

    (9/10/2018)

    Tasted at M. Chapoutier. Dark red color, 50yr vines, clay soils, 35% oak in 2 and 3yr barrels, 65% cement. Dark red berries, blackberry, lightly savory, pepper, dry firm tannins.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 2012 M. Chapoutier Hermitage La Sizeranne 91 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

    (9/10/2018)

    Tasted at M. Chapoutier. Dark red color. 80yr vines, 40% oak in 2 and 3 yr barrels, 60% cement. Big nose, dark cherry, cassis, meat and blood meal, white pepper; full bodied, savory, round firm tannins. Quite good, and should be even better in a couple years.

    Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

Flight 20 - Dinner on AmaCello, Avignon (1 Note)

  • 2013 Henri de Villamont Monthélie Blanc 88 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Monthélie

    (9/10/2018)

    Tasted at the Domaine, enjoyed this quite a bit when we initially tasted, enough to pick up a bottle to enjoy along the way. Citrus, rather lemony on the nose, some dry stones notes that are strong on the palate and lots of tart citrus and bold acidity. The acids cuts a little hard at times. Tonight's bottle was rather weird, with nose consistent, but the palate seemed out of sorts for a good 2 hours before coming around. Thought maybe this one was turning, but now it's just fine. 88+pts.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

Flight 21 - 9/11/18 (1 Note)

Dinner at L'Essential, Avignon

  • NV Deutz Champagne Brut Rosé 91 Points

    France, Champagne

    (9/11/2018)

    Light salmon color. From 375ml off the list at L'Essential in Avignon. Very good, fresh and crisp with lively acidity and bright red berries and more subtle white peach, subtle almond cream. 91+pts.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

Flight 22 - 9/12/18 (3 Notes)

Dinner on AmaCello, Arles

Flight 23 - 9/13/18 Chateauneuf du Pape (3 Notes)

Domaine du Pégau Visit

  • 2013 Domaine du Pégau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée 93 Points

    France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

    (9/13/2018)

    Tasting pour at the Domaine. Medium red color. Complex nose of red berries, earth, and dried spices. The palate has cherries, spices, garrigue,violet, cigar wrapper, sleek and tangy, very pretty with a soft texture and great tannins. My kind of vintage.

    Read 1 Comment / Post a Comment / 4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 2012 Domaine du Pégau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Laurence

    France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

    (9/13/2018)

    Tasting pour at the Domaine. Dark red color. Deeper fruit, riper nose; the palate follows with more concentration, briary, more intensity to the spices, firm and powerful. Very good. Needs 3 plus years. 92 to 95pts.

    Post a Comment / 2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 2007 Domaine du Pégau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée 95 Points

    France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

    (9/13/2018)

    Tasting pour at the Domaine. Medium dark red color. From 375ml. After so many disappointments from the 2007 vintage in CdP, this was a thrilling bottle. A wow wine that totally captures the essence of Pegau. Very complex on the nose and palate, shifting from one thing to the next with ease. Cigars, bright red fruits, dried herb de Provence, earth, leather, medium plus weight with a silky texture; a seamless wine now.

    Post a Comment / 5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

Flight 24 - Château de Beaucastel Visit (6 Notes)

Flight 25 - Château de Vaudieu Visit (5 Notes)

Flight 26 - Lunch at Hostellerie des Fines Roches, Chateauneuf du Pape (1 Note)

  • 2013 Mestre Père et Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée des Sommeliers 91 Points

    France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

    (9/13/2018)

    Order off the list with lunch at Chateau des Fines Roches; from 500 ml. The nose is super and edges the palate a little; herbs and cherry, lots of spices, pepper, dried flowers; on the palate this has baked cherry cobbler, soft, a bit thinner in the middle, but finishes well. 90+ to 91pts.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

Flight 27 - Domaine Pierre Usseglio & Fils Visit (5 Notes)

  • 2016 Domaine Pierre Usseglio & Fils Lirac 91 Points

    France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Lirac

    (9/13/2018)

    Tasting pour at the Domaine. Very good, there's a very nice core of dark fruit; black cherry, plum, black pepper, tons of structure and tannins now. 91 to 92pts.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 2017 Domaine Pierre Usseglio & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc 91 Points

    France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

    (9/13/2018)

    Tasting pour at the Domaine. Very nice, peach, lychee, citrus, minerals and licorice. The palate follows suit and has a medium full body with nice mineral notes to compliment the fruit and round texture.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 2013 Domaine Pierre Usseglio & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape 91 Points

    France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

    (9/13/2018)

    Tasting pour at the Domaine. Medium dark red color. Anise, tons of spices, high toned, black liqueurish fruits, drinking better now than the '15, but still young and needs another year or two. Quite long with rather impressive garrigue and pepper on the finish. 90+ to 91pt.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 2016 Domaine Pierre Usseglio & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape 92 Points

    France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

    (9/13/2018)

    Tasting pour at the Domaine. Medium dark red color. All of the '16's are really looking good here. Nice perfume here with framboise, red raspberry liqueur, garrigue, mineral, and spices, lifted and fresh. Great potential for the Tradition bottling. 92-94pts. Highly recommended.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 2016 Domaine Pierre Usseglio & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée de mon Aïeul 96 Points

    France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

    (9/13/2018)

    Tasting pour at the Domaine. Medium dark red color. All of the '16's are really looking good here, but this was the coup de grace. Already having garnered big praise from many of the critics including at least one 100pt rating, it is hard not to be impressed by this beauty. Expectations aside, the this is just flat out gorgeous. There's no oak here, just beautiful, pure unadulterated CdP. The purity of the fruit shows through from the old grenache, wonderful black cherry, cherry, black cherry liqueur, raspberry and kirsch on top of the brilliant purple flowers, fresh garrigue and thyme, anise, and spice box. The just coils around the tongue and saturates the palate with its silken texture and lift. Poised and special, this is one to watch. 95-98pts. Highly recommended.

    Post a Comment / 2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

Flight 28 - Clos des Papes Visit (5 Notes)

  • 2016 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc 96 Points

    France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

    (9/13/2018)

    Tasting pour at the Chateau. Light golden color. I don't get to drink the Clos des Papes Blanc very often and this turned out to be one of the most impressive wines of our trip. Flat out gorgeous, this knocks your socks off in getting your attention. There is so much brightness and intensity here, very complex, bursting with white flower overtones, wonderful spices, white peach, white melon, pear, brisk minerality, medium body and a completely refreshing and long finish. Wow, takes a different tack that the '16 Beaucastel we had, much lighter and lithe, and this may be even more impressive.

    Post a Comment / 3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 2013 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape 92 Points

    France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

    (9/13/2018)

    Tasting pour at the Chateau. Medium dark red color. Heavy spice, earth, anise, big and bold, black raspberry liqueur, blackberry liqueur, garrigue, peppery, firm tannins.

    Post a Comment / 2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 2014 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape 94 Points

    France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

    (9/13/2018)

    Tasting pour at the Chateau. Medium dark red color. Wow, this was great, my style all the way. Medium weight with a damp earth and funk nose, perfumed red fruits, graceful and harmonious.

    Post a Comment / 4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 2015 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape

    France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

    (9/13/2018)

    Tasting pour at the Chateau. Medium dark ed color. Super nose, wow, I love it with great spice, complex, high toned fruits, a mix of red and black fruits The palate is fairly big, fuller bodied, anise, sauvage, some heat. Needs 5+ years.

    Post a Comment / 3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 2016 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape 95 Points

    France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

    (9/13/2018)

    Tasting pour at the Chateau. Dark red color. This is another really impressive and promising 2016. Really nice purity here again to the dark red and black fruits, great intensity, full bodied yet deft, pretty garrigue and exotic spice notes, fine tannins and great length. 95(+)pts.

    Read 3 Comments / Post a Comment / 3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

Flight 29 - Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Visit (6 Notes)

Flight 30 - Dinner at Bistrot des Philosophes, Aix en Provence (1 Note)

  • 2017 Bistrot des Philosophes Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence 88 Points

    France, Provence, Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence

    (9/13/2018)

    Pale pink color. Had this off the restaurant list at Bistrot des Philosophes in Aix. Perfect on a fairly toasty evening on the square and it matched wonderfully with an array of Provencal dishes including a spectacular gazpacho. Light, floral, small red strawberries, fresh and crisp.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

Flight 31 - 9/14/18 Luberon Perched Villages (1 Note)

Lunch at La Calade de Lourmarin, Lourmarin

Flight 32 - La Cavale - Famille Paul-Dubrule Visit, Luberon (4 Notes)

Flight 33 - Château Val Joanis Visit, Luberon (6 Notes)

Flight 34 - Dinner at Mitch, Aix en Provence (2 Notes)

  • 2015 Château Corton C. Meursault Les Narvaux 90 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault

    (9/14/2018)

    Light gold color. Tasted at the Chateau on the 4th and now from a bottle acquired at the Chateau. PNP, drank 2 glasses over an hour. On the nose this offers ripe red apple, lemons, vanilla, lemon tart, citrus zest and minerals. The palate is tightly coiled, razor like acidity, lemon, lemon confit, tart, hints of pineapple, vanilla, wet stone. This could use 2 years, the nose is already very nice. The palate is quite promising. Well check back after tonight's dinner.
    90-92pts.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 2017 Domaine Pinchinat Côtes de Provence Rosé 89 Points

    France, Provence, Côtes de Provence

    (9/14/2018)

    Pale salmon color. Ordered off the list at Mitch in Aix. Really quite good, aromatic nose, lots of complexity to the fruits, tart, pear, nectarine, red berry and citrus, has good acidity and stony minerality with rose petal top notes. Recommended.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

Flight 35 - 9/15/18 (1 Note)

Recovery Mode - Air France - Somewhere over the Atlantic

×
×