This pours light straw in the glass with flecks of green. The nose is just lovely, airy and elegant, showing cold cream, crisp pear, white flowers, mint, light asparagus, candied lemon peel, and a touch of honey. The palate is equally fantastic with precise medium plus acid, gorgeous purity of fruit, and an impressively long finish. Texturally it really caresses and is very well balanced. Just a pure joy to drink. All in all this bottle absolutely blew me away and was just a gorgeous experience from beginning to end. None of the aggressiveness I occasionally associate with the variety. Just incredible purity, minerality, texture, and complexity.
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
This pours light garnet in the glass, with light bricking. Immediately expressive but increases in interest and complexity as it opens with air. Over the course of the 3 hours followed it reveals dried orange peel, leather, green olive, brine, lilac, decaying rose petal, cured meat, dried raspberry, smoky incense, and just a touch of prune to remind you this is from the warm southern Rhone. The palate is absolute silk with no hard edges at all. Tannin is low, acid is medium and there is no alcohol showing at all along the long finish built on leather, brine, and light prune elements. Just a sensational wine and showing oh so well.
This is just an astoundingly brilliant bottle from the king. The nose from the first pour is massively expressive and complex showing a broad spectrum of aromas: Kaffir lime leaf, chalk, honey, white flowers, toasted hazelnut, white mushroom, brown butter, marzipan, cardamom, white truffle, candied lime peel, dried grapefruit peel, and a touch of wet wool. Simply a nose you can’t stop smelling and smiling about. The palate is beautifully precise with plenty of citrus tinged acid keeping it super fresh despite moderate richness and the wild complexity. Just a touch of herbal bitterness hits the mid-palate, but the finish is complex and long replaying much of the nose. Absolutely brilliant.
This pours light ruby in the glass. The nose from the first pour is absolutely rocking with classic Rayas perfume. Aromas are of green olive, incense, crushed slate, game meat, brine, pepper, animal fur, orange peel, massively concentrated yet fresh blueberry, a touch of plum, and smoke. So incredibly Rhone Syrah, yet also so incredibly Rayas all at once. The palate enters on classic blueberry, but turns a little more astringent than I'd like with medium plus tannin and a little green astringency down the middle of the palate. The finish lingers nicely on much of the nose including great orange peel notes. All in all this is yet another jaw dropping showing from Fonsalette, particularly on the nose. The palate is a little more tough, but is something I think age will help resolve. Great, great wine.
2019 Domaine François Cotat Sancerre Les Culs de Beaujeu 94 Points
France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Sancerre
This pours light straw in the glass with flecks of green. The nose is just lovely, airy and elegant, showing cold cream, crisp pear, white flowers, mint, light asparagus, candied lemon peel, and a touch of honey. The palate is equally fantastic with precise medium plus acid, gorgeous purity of fruit, and an impressively long finish. Texturally it really caresses and is very well balanced. Just a pure joy to drink. All in all this bottle absolutely blew me away and was just a gorgeous experience from beginning to end. None of the aggressiveness I occasionally associate with the variety. Just incredible purity, minerality, texture, and complexity.
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2001 Château Rayas Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reserve 97 Points
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
This pours light garnet in the glass, with light bricking. Immediately expressive but increases in interest and complexity as it opens with air. Over the course of the 3 hours followed it reveals dried orange peel, leather, green olive, brine, lilac, decaying rose petal, cured meat, dried raspberry, smoky incense, and just a touch of prune to remind you this is from the warm southern Rhone. The palate is absolute silk with no hard edges at all. Tannin is low, acid is medium and there is no alcohol showing at all along the long finish built on leather, brine, and light prune elements. Just a sensational wine and showing oh so well.
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2009 Didier Dagueneau Silex 95 Points
France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Pouilly-Fumé
This is just an astoundingly brilliant bottle from the king. The nose from the first pour is massively expressive and complex showing a broad spectrum of aromas: Kaffir lime leaf, chalk, honey, white flowers, toasted hazelnut, white mushroom, brown butter, marzipan, cardamom, white truffle, candied lime peel, dried grapefruit peel, and a touch of wet wool. Simply a nose you can’t stop smelling and smiling about. The palate is beautifully precise with plenty of citrus tinged acid keeping it super fresh despite moderate richness and the wild complexity. Just a touch of herbal bitterness hits the mid-palate, but the finish is complex and long replaying much of the nose. Absolutely brilliant.
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2008 Château Rayas Côtes du Rhône Château de Fonsalette Cuvée Syrah 94 Points
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône
This pours light ruby in the glass. The nose from the first pour is absolutely rocking with classic Rayas perfume. Aromas are of green olive, incense, crushed slate, game meat, brine, pepper, animal fur, orange peel, massively concentrated yet fresh blueberry, a touch of plum, and smoke. So incredibly Rhone Syrah, yet also so incredibly Rayas all at once. The palate enters on classic blueberry, but turns a little more astringent than I'd like with medium plus tannin and a little green astringency down the middle of the palate. The finish lingers nicely on much of the nose including great orange peel notes. All in all this is yet another jaw dropping showing from Fonsalette, particularly on the nose. The palate is a little more tough, but is something I think age will help resolve. Great, great wine.
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