Search Results - Save This Search

Wine Type Vintage Name Variety Locale Date Posted Score Helpful Comments More...
Red

2017 Domaine du Bel Air (Pierre et Rodolphe Gauthier) Bourgueil Clos Nouveau

 Cabernet Franc more
Options

10/7/2023 - ylkim30 wrote: NR

October 2023 Loire Dinner (Mathilde - SF): This was just so big and tannic -- should be interesting in 10+ years if not longer, but hard to get a fair read of it today. Some people thought the plushy texture and generous fruit felt "modern," but maybe it had more to do with the vintage. I don't have too much experience with this producer, but I plan to pay closer attention.

Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
Red

2018 Domaine du Bel Air (Pierre et Rodolphe Gauthier) Bourgueil Clos Nouveau

 Cabernet Franc more
Options

4/1/2024 - Klugi Wine Likes this wine: 96 points

Wow, really amazing CabFranc from Bourgueil.
The bouquet convinces with sour cherries, but also some darker fruit, dark chocolate, slight blood orange zest and smoky characteristics.
Extremely intense incorporating freshness and richness.
Really young but enjoyable right now, I would give this beautiful wine 1-2 decades of development.

2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
Red

2019 Domaine du Bel Air (Pierre et Rodolphe Gauthier) Bourgueil Clos Nouveau

 Cabernet Franc more
Options

2/22/2024 - grafstrb wrote: NR

-- uncorked approx.. 1.5 hrs before initial taste on Day 1 --
-- tasted Blind over 3 hrs on Day 1; revisited on Days 2 and 3 --
-- blinded alongside an also-blinded 2019 Grand Mont --

NOSE: Day 1: rich, but not quite as fruity as the Grand Mont; red-fruited, but veering towards purple; high-toned savory/spicy note; oaky/tempura; seems moderately tight/closed on Day 1. Day 2: tight/closed. Day 3: still tight/reserved; stony; very dark red berries.

BODY: magenta-garnet color of medium-deep depth; medium to medium-full bodied.

TASTE: Day 1: tannic; strong bitter oak flavor; oak *started* to draw back at the 2.5 hrs open mark, but the palate remained dominated by it. Day 2: closed/tight; oak slowly receding; medium to medium+ acidity. Day 3: still tannic and tight, but oak is finally sitting back – not gone, but back; embedded baked raspberries; 13.5% alc. well-hidden; dark and stony, but not as obvious/forward as the Grand Mont, which – itself – begs for time in the cellar. The big question mark here is the oak: will it absorb over time? If “yes,” this is incredible further down the line; if “no,” this will likely forever be a Disappointing Opportunity Lost. Needs lots of time.

3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
Red

2017 Domaine du Bel Air (Pierre et Rodolphe Gauthier) Bourgueil Clos Nouveau

 Cabernet Franc more
Options

2/28/2024 - Raage Likes this wine: 93 points

Bien qu’un peu jeune et sur la retenue, on a bien senti tout le potentiel de cette bouteille à travers sa densité tout en finesse. Je ne connaissais que de réputation, j’avoue qu’elle paraît totalement justifiée : précision, élégance des tanins, pureté, on tient là un beau CF racé, taillé pour la garde.
Le millésime semble assez classique, avec une belle fraîcheur. (93 +?)
2028/2036

2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
Red

2019 Domaine du Bel Air (Pierre et Rodolphe Gauthier) Bourgueil Clos Nouveau

 Cabernet Franc more
Options

2/17/2024 - cct wrote: 95 points

Side by side Clos Nouveau and Grand Mont on release tasting

Pop and pour and drunk over three nights.

Day 1: Cassis, plum, chocolate, florals, and wood spice. Mid to full bodied rich and ripe but holding itself much better than the '18 at a similar stage. Fleshy and sapid yet not heavy. More about fruit and density that varietal notes at this point. The wood is noticeable but well balanced, and I suspect it will integrate well in time. Quite long and polished on the back end with ripe tannins. Similar to the '15 for me and substantially better than the highly lauded and heady '18s. 92++

Day two the wood is still evident but more integrated and the wine comes into more focus. Baking spice. This grew in depth and breadth overnight, but still more about fruit and spice than varietal character. Deep, impressive and still polished but done extremely well. 94

Day 3 it has coalesced further, gaining focus, with the wood better integrated and varietal bell pepper notes come out, adding complexity. I still give the stylistic edge to the Grand Mont, but both of these are terrific and wines for the cellar. 95

These wines may not be for purists, but they have substance and at least with a lot of time open integrate the wood. I suspect they will shine with cellar time.

2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
Red

2017 Domaine du Bel Air (Pierre et Rodolphe Gauthier) Bourgueil Clos Nouveau

 Cabernet Franc more
Options

2/4/2024 - Andrew Vaughan wrote: 91 points

A more serious cab franc with rich, assertive body yet has a lusciousness and good finesse and balance. Unfortunately for me Brett character was very present upon opening, but did seem to dissipate after a while and or interfere as much with my enjoyment of the wine.

Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
Red

2017 Domaine du Bel Air (Pierre et Rodolphe Gauthier) Bourgueil Clos Nouveau

 Cabernet Franc more
Options

2/2/2024 - MasterWis Likes this wine: 95 points

This needs a lot of air. Double decanted.
Nose open up nicely on black fruit and pepper, it’s very fresh. Once tannins have soften, palate is extremely intense, super long, extremely enjoyable. On the bolder side

1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
Red

2019 Domaine du Bel Air (Pierre et Rodolphe Gauthier) Bourgueil Clos Nouveau

 Cabernet Franc more
Options

11/12/2023 - NoTrollingerPlease Likes this wine: NR

Impressions from "Perspektive Wein" fair (Wagenhallen, Stuttgart): Glass: White wine
*** brief notes for my own memory from tasting sip. No rating ***
Beautiful expression of Loire CabFranc. A bid rough and edgy, but also with a beautiful complexity, tension and depth. Needs more time to fully blossom. Nice. 92-93

2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
Red

2019 Domaine du Bel Air (Pierre et Rodolphe Gauthier) Bourgueil Clos Nouveau

 Cabernet Franc more
Options

10/14/2023 - AlphaMikeFoxtrot Likes this wine: 89 points

A LOT of graphite/pencil shavings on the nose. In fact, I don't recall smelling a wine with so much graphite ever. Beyond that, tobacco, ripe blackberry, ripe dark plums, and fresh cracked black pepper on the nose. A hint of green bell pepper, but you really have to dig for it. Medium intensity of aromas. Texturally velvety, with the palate adding cinnamon and allspice flavors in the background and keeping almost everything else. Lovely medium + intensity of flavors.

Medium + body with medium + acid. Medium lingering tannin. Developing. Recommend holding this for 5+ years at this point. I do think it will be long lived.

1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
Red

2017 Domaine du Bel Air (Pierre et Rodolphe Gauthier) Bourgueil Clos Nouveau

 Cabernet Franc more
Options

10/7/2023 - glou.sf Likes this wine: 93 points

Loire Tasting (Mathilda Bistro, San Francisco): Pretty and expressive nose with lots of fruit and pepper. Good acidity with quite a bit of structural tannins on the palate with dark cherry notes and tart berries. Nice and lingering finish. This is very promising and showing nice complexity, but it's so young right now, especially compared to other wines on the table. I feel like it's not showing everything and would hold for at least 5 more years. 93++

2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
Red

2017 Domaine du Bel Air (Pierre et Rodolphe Gauthier) Bourgueil Clos Nouveau

 Cabernet Franc more
Options

10/7/2023 - ohne_musik wrote: 91 points

Berserker Offline (Mathilde Bistro - SF): Young and bold, leaning modern and fleshy, but with more rustic tannins than the Roches Neuves. Medium bodied but with an explosion of dark fruit, pipe tobacco and tar. A touch less balanced than the Roches Neuves, with spiky acid and tannins that jut out a bit. Palate fatigue at set in by the time I got around to trying this, and I'm guessing I'd score higher stand-alone. 91++ with time.

Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
Red

2017 Domaine du Bel Air (Pierre et Rodolphe Gauthier) Bourgueil Clos Nouveau

 Cabernet Franc more
Options

9/16/2023 - ccn wrote: 91 points

Even with a 1 hour decant this is young — will wait 3-5 year before the next bottle.

Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
Red

2017 Domaine du Bel Air (Pierre et Rodolphe Gauthier) Bourgueil Clos Nouveau

 Cabernet Franc more
Options

9/3/2023 - LWI wrote: 93 points

Clean, absolutely no bell pepper

1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
Red

2018 Domaine du Bel Air (Pierre et Rodolphe Gauthier) Bourgueil Clos Nouveau

 Cabernet Franc more
Options

4/30/2023 - cct wrote: 90 points

Pop and pour , drunk over several nights

At first a pretty wood driven nose to the point of distraction. Drinking glass over around a half hour that night, it's redder fruited than the Grand Mont and pretty polished, modern feeling.

Day two after being recorked and cellared overnight. More varietal character, redder fruited than the Grand Mont, with stone fruit, bitter chocolate, and some leafy savory notes. It's large scaled structured but with a bit more savory and interesting. Still way too young and I suspect this will integrate more.Leafy notes and some pepper come out at the back end. Not for Loire purists, but I think it may end up being really good in a decade plus. I do not love this vintage. Let's see what happens tomorrow.

Day 3,It's still large scaled and young with bitter chocolate stone fruit but there is more red fruit, florals, and leafiness, but the wood is still relatively prominent. Excellent structure and overall textural balance but still not my favorite vintage of this bottling.

Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
Red

2018 Domaine du Bel Air (Pierre et Rodolphe Gauthier) Bourgueil Clos Nouveau

 Cabernet Franc more
Options

5/8/2023 - grafstrb wrote: NR

-- decanted approx. 75 min. before initial taste --
-- tasted non-blind over 1.5 hrs on Day 1; revisited on Day 2 --

NOSE: rich, dark red fruits; creosote; tight/brooding; cocoa powder.

BODY: black-violet color of great depth; medium-full to full bodied.

TASTE: ripe; oaky; plush feeling; medium-low acidity; no funk; no pyrazine; needs time; unclear what's laying beneath all this gloss --- yes, it's big and glossy. Although this is big/soft/ripe, it doesn't come across as alcoholic (labelled at 13.5%); raspberry jam in the background. Drinkable now, in a *big wine* kind of way, but best to Hold for at least a couple years. Day 2: still big, but leaning-out , or going more classical, *a little bit*; Blind, I may very well call this a Cab. Franc-heavy R Bank Bdx.. I don't regret having a few of these in the cellar, but I'm not adding any more, either.

1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
Red

2014 Domaine du Bel Air (Pierre et Rodolphe Gauthier) Bourgueil Clos Nouveau

 Cabernet Franc more
Options

4/28/2023 - Julian Marshall Likes this wine: 94 points

Deep blackcurrant, some spring flowers, violet and herbs on the nose. The first sip wasn’t terribly impressive - monolithic, quite thick blackcurrant, but then it started to open up, with the blackcurrant growing in finesse, joined by some dark raspberry and violet, morphing into sappy sour cherry, going back to the blackcurrant on the finale. Very silky tannins, with an impressive velvet texture. The finish grew in volume over time and this is clearly a wine with massive potential.

Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
Red

2017 Domaine du Bel Air (Pierre et Rodolphe Gauthier) Bourgueil Clos Nouveau

 Cabernet Franc more
Options

4/4/2023 - Benoit Hardy Likes this wine: 92 points

Intense nose of great maturity that immediately explodes on red fruit and earthy notes. I was thinking more of a Cabernet Sauvignon but the peppery touch brings me back to the Loire.

Elegant mouth with a lot of maturity. The wine is nicely textured with a nice stony freshness that brings a healthy tension to carry the juice on peppery notes. Stoney finish on a good spicy length.

Very Good.

2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
Red

2017 Domaine du Bel Air (Pierre et Rodolphe Gauthier) Bourgueil Clos Nouveau

 Cabernet Franc more
Options

1/27/2023 - grafstrb wrote: NR

-- decanted approx. 45 min. before initial taste --
-- tasted non-blind over 2 - 3 hours --

NOSE: ripe red fruits; smooth; pyrazine is noticeable; medium+ expressiveness.

BODY: medium bodied.

TASTE: fine tannins; oaky; ripe red fruits; hint of pyrazine; little bit of garrigue on the finish; this really needs some time to integrate the oak. HOLD.

1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
Red

2017 Domaine du Bel Air (Pierre et Rodolphe Gauthier) Bourgueil Clos Nouveau

 Cabernet Franc more
Options

11/23/2022 - grafstrb wrote: NR

-- decanted approx. 45 min. before initial taste --
-- tasted non-blind over approx. 1.5 hrs --

Ripe, red-fruited Nose. Medium bodied on the palate, with ripe cherry and pyrazine. Alc. not noticeable. This is smooth, complete, and jaw-droppingly gorgeous. Drink or Hold. Gut impression score: 95 - 96.

2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
Red

2017 Domaine du Bel Air (Pierre et Rodolphe Gauthier) Bourgueil Clos Nouveau

 Cabernet Franc more
Options

12/17/2022 - cct wrote: 94 points

More red fruited than the Grand Mont. t's savory and perfumed, with cassis and stone fruit, lovely florals - rose more than violet and bell pepper. Structured and interestingly more open at first than the Grand Mont, but it shuts down after a couple hours gaining with firm tannins. little coarser in texture after starting out softer. Structured serious wine with terrific balance.

Day 2 a little more prominent wood spice, red fruit, rose, red licorice, baking chocolate, herbal varietal notes. Stylish but serious, with a lot under the hood. Beautiful texture and balance just needs time. 94

1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
Red

2018 Domaine du Bel Air (Pierre et Rodolphe Gauthier) Bourgueil Clos Nouveau

 Cabernet Franc more
Options

11/13/2022 - NoTrollingerPlease Likes this wine: NR

Impressions from "Perspektive Wein" fair (Wagenhallen, Stuttgart): Glass: Universal
*** brief notes for my own memory from tasting sip. No rating ***
Very salty, mineral, wonderful grip. Deep and dense, fine cassis, long. Great potential 93++

2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
Red

2014 Domaine du Bel Air (Pierre et Rodolphe Gauthier) Bourgueil Clos Nouveau

 Cabernet Franc more
Options

10/8/2022 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 93 points

A private dinner with friends (Wine Bar Oocker, Amsterdam, NL): An essence of Loire Cabernet Franc. Precise, bright and energetic, smoky and aromatic, unmistakable varietal typicity, red berries and currants and spices, cool but ripe, characteristic vegetal notes, hint of earth, creamy and polished, concentrated but elegant and silky, supple tannins, excellent resonance and length. Stunning wine.

Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
Red

2016 Domaine du Bel Air (Pierre et Rodolphe Gauthier) Bourgueil Clos Nouveau

 Cabernet Franc more
Options

7/29/2022 - grafstrb wrote: 95 points

-- decanted approx. 1 hr. before initial taste --
-- tasted non-blind over a few hours --

NOSE: red-fruited --- ripe; medium-light to medium pyrazine note; somewhat reserved right now.

BODY: medium-light to medium bodied.

TASTE: dark red fruits; juicy; light pyrazine; strong mineral note; little bit of Sweet Tarts; not tannic; medium-light or light oak note a couple hours after initial taste. This wine oozes class. Possibly the best Cab Franc I've had. Unbelievable. Drink Now or Hold.

50, 5, 12, 19, 9 = 95

Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
Red

2017 Domaine du Bel Air (Pierre et Rodolphe Gauthier) Bourgueil Clos Nouveau

 Cabernet Franc more
Options

9/16/2022 - Ruminator Likes this wine: 92 points

Deep purple color. Full body and very high acidity.

Strong oak presence. Very slight brett adds interests. Notes of violet and cedar. Powerful and very dark bramble fruit. Midpalate note of cured meat and roasted bell pepper. Finishes with cocoa powder and chili flakes.

Its sophistication and intensity beg for a comparison to right-bank Bordeaux.

This is a kind of bottles that you may want to lose track in your cellar. You would be delighted to re-discover it 15, 20 years down the road.

1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
Red

2018 Domaine du Bel Air (Pierre et Rodolphe Gauthier) Bourgueil Clos Nouveau

 Cabernet Franc more
Options

8/20/2022 - pavel_p Likes this wine: 94 points

Bought a bottle of the 2017 and 2018 out of curiosity given the raving Vinous review. Was a bit worried this might be overripe and heavy given the hot vintage but that’s not the case.
Poured into decanter and drank over 90 min. Dark garnet. Plenty of oak on the nose, blows off a bit with more air. A sweet attack and then excellent concentration on the slightly tight mid palate, which is dry and medium bodied. alcohol at 13.5% still well in check. Very good length.
Really promising Cab Franc that needs at least 5 years to relax a bit and integrate the oak.

2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
  • Tasting notes: 58 notes on 11 wines

Loading wine details...
loading

×
×