Oh my, has this evolved nicely. Fully integrated. Crisp in flavor while smooth with respect to mouthfeel. The strong acidity that was once present is now fully folded in. Still a slightly sweet marine impression on the palate. Absolutely delightful.
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Yellow-gold in the glass; nice "sea breeze" nose, with a Granny Smith apple note as well.
Quite tart on the palate. To my tastes, this has always been a very acidic vintage for Boulay, and I still couldn't call this wine harmonious at this time. My wife is making a shrimp risotto for dinner tonight, so perhaps the creaminess of the risotto will harness the shrill acidity here.
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Superbe bouteille d'un grand millésime. Bouche saline avec une touche d'agrumes et de miel. Belle longueur sur une acidité remarquable. 90 sur 100 mérité !
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solid but flavor profile not fully developed. solid acidity, decent length but flavor profile was quite simple. Hopefully with time will come further development.
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Very intense citrus on opening, good acidity, then more balance, light pear / apple, some mineral and the citrus toned down on days 2 and 3. Paired with baked parmesan halibut on first day, was a nice match.
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Vin avec une belle amertume sur une bouche saline. De belles notes de fruits jaunes au nez. Un excellent apéro sur une finale moyenne. J'aime bien. 90 sur 100.
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Superbe expression de Sancerre. Le meilleur millésime bu jusqu'ici et le plus consistant. Des notes de miel avec une droiture typique. Belle longueur et une très belle fraicheur.
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this wine is really singing now. i've bought boulay chauvignol every year since the 2004 (or was it the 2002?) and i've felt just a bit let down by every vintage since the first. but this wine is in a beautiful place right now. glorious aromatics, fresh and biting on the palate. long finish with a touch of almond.
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Light gold. Complex aromatics, a bit of sherry, green apple, hint of peach. Taste is initially tangy, opens a bit with time, full mouthfeel, strong acidity, but not unbalanced. Long, tart, mildly stoney finish. Very good.
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Nose of citrus, minerals and grass. Light flavors of peach and melon, strongly dominated by minerality and a good acid level. A great food wine. Short, clean finish.
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In contrast to the usual overly-fleshy Boulay, this was rather tight, thin, tart and acidic. Plus side: a hint of seashells. It seemed to aspire towards chablis, but fall short. Worse on Day 2.
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Quite delicious, if a little simple and making me wish to taste the upper end Boulays of this vintage.
On the nose, minerally and some pit fruit aromas - white peaches and apricots. Almost Chenin-like but not waxy or honeyed.
On the palate there was some grassiness typical of Sauv Blanc, but in a very nice restrained way.
A little simple on the mid-palate and finish - if quite quaffable - makes me like I said interested to taste the higher end Sancerres from Boulay in this vintage (and others).
Well done!
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Quite fruit forward for a Sancerre but a good wine none the less. Manages to have enough acidity to prevent it from being unbalanced. Has some notes of meyer lemon, pineapple and grapefruit. Finish was medium but could have used a bit more focus.
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Initially too cold, was taut and sharp. After a couple hours and warming to room temp, stone fruit and richness came out balancing the ample acid. Lemon rind, lime rind, mineral. Too young.
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Arrived about a 2 weeks ago had to try one. Tart grapefruit, racey, crisp. Paired brilliantly with roasted red pepper/tomato bisque. Delightful Sancerre here.
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First impressions were very good, ample, deep.... but quickly faded in a more classic citrusy taste. But it got highlighted with chavignol cheese ... like dry sweet white raisins that sometimes are put on top of goat cheese.
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Consistency wins the race and this is a very consistent wine. Unchanged from April when I wrote, “Sunlight yellow in a glass; very inviting to the eye. The profile delivers cut grass, boxwood, lime and wet limestone. A pleasant cross section of SB flavor profiles. Crisp and lean.” 13% alc. With some of our Sancerre cheeses smuggled from France Recommended.
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As good as always. Fresh candied lemon with a subtle minerality with a touch of fresh herbs. Good acidity, more white peach on the palate with a pretty long finish. Was still going strong after being open for 4 days. Not the most complex wine but everything you want in a Sancerre.
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Sunlight yellow in a glass; very inviting to the eye. The profile delivers cut grass, boxwood, lime and wet limestone. A pleasant cross section of SB flavor profiles. Crisp and lean. Much improved over the 2006 vintage (the last vintage I’ve tasted from this producer). 13% alc. With shrimp bisque (from homemade shrimp stock), delicious! Recommended.
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Golden Straw. Stone fruit, peach, pineapple and honey on the nose. Great mouthfeel, round and oily, more stone fruit and honey, some oak and a balanced mineral finish. Lovely.
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Light gold in color. Citrus on the nose and palate, but not overwhelming. Clean and crisp with a nice finish. Paired well with smoked albacore. Really nice bottle of wine!
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Dry, citrus-y, nice! Not as stark as some Sancerres, which is nice unless you're looking for something to go with a really clean fish dish. Even then, this would probably do.
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Really tight, direct and focussed, this is dry sauvignon at its pared back best. It has a light grassiness, plenty of mint and flint, lemon juice to burn and a light thread of dried herbs. There’s volume but its compact and squint inducing acidity punctuates the finish. Terrific stuff!
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Pop/pour. Intoxicating on the nose, with a relatively sweet but balanced approach. A decidedly "marine" impression...sweet, saline, and mineral. Intoxicating, and not reflective of the palate. At present, the palate isn't as rich as the nose. Tight and strongly acidic. The structure suggests longer term aging. Not all that attractive for current consumption, but I think I'll enjoy revisiting this wine sometime later. If I were to guess, I'd say hold these for 3-4 years minimum, though my next bottle will probably be opened in the next year or two as an experiment. I won't score this, because I don't have the reference points. But my summary would be: for current drinking, pair it with food to cut the acids. For future drinking, I think this could really come to shine when/if the acids fold into the wine and create a richer palate impression. Improves with air, so perhaps a decant would be in order for current drinking. I think this is a well made wine that will approach "Wow" in the future, but it's not there now.
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Pale. Classic aromatics of grapefruit and lemon. Light, crisp, chalky, some citrus oil and tremendous driving acidity. What more could you want from basic Sancerre? The single vineyard bottlings should be stunning.
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6/18/2020 - ebpayne wrote:
Dead. Oxidised
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11/17/2019 - vanpe003 wrote: 93 Points
Oh my, has this evolved nicely. Fully integrated. Crisp in flavor while smooth with respect to mouthfeel. The strong acidity that was once present is now fully folded in. Still a slightly sweet marine impression on the palate. Absolutely delightful.
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3/30/2017 - skifree wrote: 87 Points
Very crisp Sancerre, loved it with flounder.
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1/7/2017 - JBVino wrote:
in a good spot not going to get any better. drink up
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7/25/2016 - Francophile Likes this wine: 90 Points
I rarely drink white wine but I really liked this. It was chrisp and tasty.
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4/5/2016 - Dhotchki Likes this wine: 90 Points
Apple, straw. Nice crisp acid on the front. Soft, lingering finish.
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3/19/2016 - Bob H wrote:
Yellow-gold in the glass; nice "sea breeze" nose, with a Granny Smith apple note as well.
Quite tart on the palate. To my tastes, this has always been a very acidic vintage for Boulay, and I still couldn't call this wine harmonious at this time. My wife is making a shrimp risotto for dinner tonight, so perhaps the creaminess of the risotto will harness the shrill acidity here.
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10/31/2015 - mat600 wrote: 90 Points
Superbe bouteille d'un grand millésime. Bouche saline avec une touche d'agrumes et de miel. Belle longueur sur une acidité remarquable. 90 sur 100 mérité !
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9/13/2015 - Chrisinroch wrote: flawed
Secondary fermentation. Frizzante mouthfeel, off nose, hyper acidic, muted off flavors.
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7/4/2015 - JBVino wrote:
solid but flavor profile not fully developed. solid acidity, decent length but flavor profile was quite simple. Hopefully with time will come further development.
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5/9/2015 - skifree wrote: 90 Points
Very intense citrus on opening, good acidity, then more balance, light pear / apple, some mineral and the citrus toned down on days 2 and 3. Paired with baked parmesan halibut on first day, was a nice match.
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12/21/2014 - mat600 wrote: 90 Points
Toujours un excellent qualité-prix. Le 2010 est particulièrement réussi avec des notes de miel sur une acidité franche. Le vin est droit. 90 sur 100.
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9/22/2014 - mat600 wrote: 90 Points
Vin avec une belle amertume sur une bouche saline. De belles notes de fruits jaunes au nez. Un excellent apéro sur une finale moyenne. J'aime bien. 90 sur 100.
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6/4/2014 - mat600 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Superbe expression de Sancerre. Le meilleur millésime bu jusqu'ici et le plus consistant. Des notes de miel avec une droiture typique. Belle longueur et une très belle fraicheur.
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5/1/2014 - Easter Everywhere Likes this wine:
very good
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2/2/2014 - mat600 wrote: 89 Points
Beau tranchant avec une minéralité excellente. Des notes de pommes et une belle longueur. Rien à redire.
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12/25/2013 - mat600 wrote: 90 Points
Belle bouteille avec une minéralité. Des notes de pêches, de melon et de pamplemousse viennent dans une longue finale.
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12/23/2013 - joefel Likes this wine: 89 Points
Really nice wine - same notes as before.
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10/26/2013 - cse Likes this wine: 91 Points
this wine is really singing now. i've bought boulay chauvignol every year since the 2004 (or was it the 2002?) and i've felt just a bit let down by every vintage since the first. but this wine is in a beautiful place right now. glorious aromatics, fresh and biting on the palate. long finish with a touch of almond.
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10/8/2013 - j.a.price.trucking wrote: 89 Points
Lemon. Sunshine. Balanced. Pleasant.
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9/30/2013 - joefel wrote: 89 Points
Same notes as before - nice bottle of wine.
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9/20/2013 - Atwellian wrote: 90 Points
Light gold. Complex aromatics, a bit of sherry, green apple, hint of peach. Taste is initially tangy, opens a bit with time, full mouthfeel, strong acidity, but not unbalanced. Long, tart, mildly stoney finish. Very good.
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8/27/2013 - Blue Shorts wrote:
Nice, crisp Sauv Blanc. Excellent with crab and fish.
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7/28/2013 - Sheila62 wrote:
Really good classic sancerre that is balanced with fruit, herbs, minerality, and a good spine of structure. Opened up over dinner to reveal more..
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7/14/2013 - Blue Shorts Likes this wine: 88 Points
Nose of citrus, minerals and grass. Light flavors of peach and melon, strongly dominated by minerality and a good acid level. A great food wine. Short, clean finish.
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6/3/2013 - linserge Does not like this wine:
In contrast to the usual overly-fleshy Boulay, this was rather tight, thin, tart and acidic. Plus side: a hint of seashells. It seemed to aspire towards chablis, but fall short. Worse on Day 2.
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4/6/2013 - kkazaks wrote: 90 Points
Quite delicious, if a little simple and making me wish to taste the upper end Boulays of this vintage.
On the nose, minerally and some pit fruit aromas - white peaches and apricots. Almost Chenin-like but not waxy or honeyed.
On the palate there was some grassiness typical of Sauv Blanc, but in a very nice restrained way.
A little simple on the mid-palate and finish - if quite quaffable - makes me like I said interested to taste the higher end Sancerres from Boulay in this vintage (and others).
Well done!
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3/15/2013 - Mr T wrote:
nice sancerre...but we are less and less fond of the appelation...want a bit more fruit
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2/9/2013 - angryphoton wrote: 89 Points
Quite fruit forward for a Sancerre but a good wine none the less. Manages to have enough acidity to prevent it from being unbalanced. Has some notes of meyer lemon, pineapple and grapefruit. Finish was medium but could have used a bit more focus.
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2/1/2013 - j.a.price.trucking Likes this wine:
Notes from Memory: not as much magic as other Boulays, but still nice.
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1/20/2013 - leesullivan wrote: 90 Points
minerally taste. very clean. smell was mild fruit. like it a lot
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12/9/2012 - burr wrote: 89 Points
Initially too cold, was taut and sharp. After a couple hours and warming to room temp, stone fruit and richness came out balancing the ample acid. Lemon rind, lime rind, mineral. Too young.
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12/1/2012 - gregg g wrote:
Arrived about a 2 weeks ago had to try one. Tart grapefruit, racey, crisp. Paired brilliantly with roasted red pepper/tomato bisque. Delightful Sancerre here.
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9/22/2012 - Pierre-Yves wrote: 88 Points
First impressions were very good, ample, deep.... but quickly faded in a more classic citrusy taste. But it got highlighted with chavignol cheese ... like dry sweet white raisins that sometimes are put on top of goat cheese.
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8/12/2012 - ravbik wrote: 83 Points
Crisp, light, granny smith apples, lemon, clean
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8/3/2012 - jbehrendt wrote: 90 Points
Frist time we drank a Sancerre from this producer. Very impressed. Nice and crisp and well balanced.
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7/27/2012 - timewithwine wrote:
Consistency wins the race and this is a very consistent wine. Unchanged from April when I wrote, “Sunlight yellow in a glass; very inviting to the eye. The profile delivers cut grass, boxwood, lime and wet limestone. A pleasant cross section of SB flavor profiles. Crisp and lean.” 13% alc. With some of our Sancerre cheeses smuggled from France Recommended.
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6/4/2012 - Mr T wrote:
sue enjoyed this...not that much citrus or at least more fruit than a recent bottle fro different producer
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5/12/2012 - xsivjosh wrote: 80 Points
nothing special sauvignon blanc.
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5/11/2012 - timewithwine wrote:
Exactly like the bottle befoe it. with cheeses (boucheron) and crusty bread. Recommended.
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5/2/2012 - french16 wrote:
As good as always. Fresh candied lemon with a subtle minerality with a touch of fresh herbs. Good acidity, more white peach on the palate with a pretty long finish. Was still going strong after being open for 4 days. Not the most complex wine but everything you want in a Sancerre.
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4/29/2012 - yannhry wrote: 85 Points
Bon en l'état mais manque un peu de tout (corps, tensions, longueur).
Certainement meilleur d'ici quelques mois, voire années.
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4/26/2012 - timewithwine wrote:
Sunlight yellow in a glass; very inviting to the eye. The profile delivers cut grass, boxwood, lime and wet limestone. A pleasant cross section of SB flavor profiles. Crisp and lean. Much improved over the 2006 vintage (the last vintage I’ve tasted from this producer). 13% alc. With shrimp bisque (from homemade shrimp stock), delicious! Recommended.
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4/26/2012 - linserge wrote:
Underwhelming right now, almost a touch flabby, and certainly not focused.
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3/9/2012 - deanmillson wrote: 89 Points
Golden Straw. Stone fruit, peach, pineapple and honey on the nose. Great mouthfeel, round and oily, more stone fruit and honey, some oak and a balanced mineral finish. Lovely.
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2/13/2012 - joefel Likes this wine: 89 Points
Light gold in color. Citrus on the nose and palate, but not overwhelming. Clean and crisp with a nice finish. Paired well with smoked albacore. Really nice bottle of wine!
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12/31/2011 - rdsboca wrote: 89 Points
Light on its feet and a great way to start the night.
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12/11/2011 - monist wrote: 90 Points
Dry, citrus-y, nice! Not as stark as some Sancerres, which is nice unless you're looking for something to go with a really clean fish dish. Even then, this would probably do.
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12/9/2011 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
Really tight, direct and focussed, this is dry sauvignon at its pared back best. It has a light grassiness, plenty of mint and flint, lemon juice to burn and a light thread of dried herbs. There’s volume but its compact and squint inducing acidity punctuates the finish. Terrific stuff!
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11/16/2011 - wino_tim wrote: 87 Points
Forward and fleshy for the style with plush, well-defined flavors of pear, lemon and mineral.
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11/7/2011 - wrrntl wrote: 88 Points
Citrus and white flowers on the nose. Extreme limestone minerality with a matching acidic spice. Not too much citrus, the way I like it.
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11/6/2011 - vanpe003 wrote:
Pop/pour. Intoxicating on the nose, with a relatively sweet but balanced approach. A decidedly "marine" impression...sweet, saline, and mineral. Intoxicating, and not reflective of the palate. At present, the palate isn't as rich as the nose. Tight and strongly acidic. The structure suggests longer term aging. Not all that attractive for current consumption, but I think I'll enjoy revisiting this wine sometime later. If I were to guess, I'd say hold these for 3-4 years minimum, though my next bottle will probably be opened in the next year or two as an experiment. I won't score this, because I don't have the reference points. But my summary would be: for current drinking, pair it with food to cut the acids. For future drinking, I think this could really come to shine when/if the acids fold into the wine and create a richer palate impression. Improves with air, so perhaps a decant would be in order for current drinking. I think this is a well made wine that will approach "Wow" in the future, but it's not there now.
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10/28/2011 - drwine2001 wrote:
Pale. Classic aromatics of grapefruit and lemon. Light, crisp, chalky, some citrus oil and tremendous driving acidity. What more could you want from basic Sancerre? The single vineyard bottlings should be stunning.
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10/4/2011 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Flint, stone and mineral with a strong backbone. Delicious, driven, with impact. Lengthy finish. Whew, a wine. Works at $30 or so.
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