Found this btl that I thought was missing. Would have been better off. Slightly ox but still drinkable. Even so, tired, clumsy, and missing any sort of alpine charm. These really out to be DYA wines.
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Five years in the box. One went missing. Waiting too long on this one. Have had mixed experiences with aging Savoie wines. This has oxidized a bit. Still there is a nice mineral core, and tight acidity. Need to check this out again in an updated version.
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Light yellow to yellow color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of lemon verbena, lavender and mixed tropical fruits. Flavors of fennel pollen, lemon and minerals. Bright acidity, light to medium body. Drink now.
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I liked this wine (as the score suggests). Minerality galore, but it is subtle blend. I must confess that I am not certain what I would have thought if I had tasted this wine blind because it is more "cerebral" than hedonic. Drink and think. Always a welcome attribute, well, usually. :-)
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Nose is oxidative, sherry. Color is deep brassy gold of a turned white. Taste is sherry, some apple notes, a hint of life remaining. Looking at the tasting history it appears that there may be some provenance issues with this shipment to the States.
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Possible bottle variation? This is MUCH more advanced than a bottle from a year or so ago. Noticeably oxidized, though not to the point of being undrinkable. I was ok with it, G. was not.
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After receiving an email touting this and other Savoie wines from one of my favorite indie wine stores earlier today, I decided to go down into the cellar this evening and bring up an "older" bottle to see how this beauty was faring.
The floral, lemony, mineral, and alpine herb flavors are still just singing that sound of music. Delightfully focused, balanced, flavorful and nice. This is a great bottle and around $20 a bargain. Sadly the 2012 vintage has climbed to over $30 in many retail stores as more and more people have discovered this relatively unknown gem.
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Really tasty. Interesting interplay here between the savory herbal elements and the apple fruit. Has a brioche note sort of like you get with some Champagne. Plenty of minerality here.
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similar to last bottle...still seems oxidative combined with the taste of apple juice....I will not buy this again, although I have 2 bottles in the cellar of the 2011
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Didn't find the bright acid here that others note; in fact served blind I had no clue this was from a cool growing region given the bright, ripe yellow fruit and florality, and surprisingly soft mouthfeel. It's quite pleasant but not particularly complex and leaves me wanting a bit more cut and focus.
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Wine Education Service - Jura and Savoie (LSE): Intense green gold. Peppery, resinous, nutty, interesting nose. Delicious, maybe grapefruit, good balance, a bit sherry-like, quite long.
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Opened and carafes an hour before serving because of A bit of reduction. An hour later the reduction smell was gone. Intense gold color, nose: apple and citrus and a subtle mineral touch, aromas are not intense. Mouth: low acidity and alcohol, the red apple is overpowering the citrus fruits and the minerality is taking over when the fruits vanish (a bit early to my taste). The mineral finale is well balanced and just long enough to call for another sip. Very good value. Drink now! The pairing with fennel salad was a killing!!
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My first time with Gringet. Fascinating aromas and flavors of herbs, with a chalky back note. Almost like a dry yellow Chartreuse (as E said). Really lovely, but not a great QPR.
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100% Grignet, from the foot of Mont Blanc in Savoie. Bought a few of these from Jon @Garagiste.
Put in the fridge from the cellar, then popped and let warm up for 15-20 minutes. Pale golden yellow in the glass. Muted but intriguing nose of lemon dripped onto slate. On the front of the palate, very smooth and round which rolls to mid-palate with a further pulse of citrus, but more grapefruit or orange, sort of the flavor of grapefruit but with just a touch of orange sweetness. Somewhat tart on the back of the tongue, but the finish reveals just a soupcon of sweet honey after twenty seconds or so, almost like the tartness rolled or peeled back to reveal the touch of sweetness underneath - very interesting!
- There’s also some chalkiness on or after the finish, just a dusting…
I’ve got some bubbly made by Belluard also from Grignet grapes, we’ll pop one over the holidays, can’t wait!
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My favorite white wines typically feature plenty of minerality and plenty of acid, and this delivers strongly on both counts. Aromas of slate, pink grapefruit, lavender and sea spray, followed by a distinctively acidic - but softly so, palate. There's a nice burst of Meyer lemon fruit in the middle, before giving way to a lingering tart and minerally finish. Quite enjoyable.
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Second bottle. Low alcohol. An interesting wine. I am not sure it will make old bones. I intend to drink my remaining bottles over the next 6 mo. or so. Flowers, minerals and some honey on the finish. To me the acidity has softened a lot just in the past three months.
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the variation in consumer descriptors is quite amazing....bottle variation or that much palate perception differences.?
A find from Garagiste (why did I only get one sigh). This is a geeks wine for sure, but wouldn't be appreciated by mainstream consumers. 12% alcohol...the way Bacchus intended white wine to be :) (means I can consume more!)
Gold yellow color. The wine changes quite a bit after opening 30 minutes. The nose is striking, and unique; citrus white pith, wet stone, note of almond. In the mouth its acidity shows immediately and throughout, but is balanced by slightly viscous mouth feel and pleasing weight. Notes of lemon, peach, a tiny of of bitterness, but not as a negative.
Wonderful. Look forward to trying second day.
From Garagist Notes: Leaders in the cement “oeuf” movement in France, I’ve told the Belluard story repeatedly over the years but it’s the vineyard that speaks louder than any of my words – high in elevation and surrounded by a yodeler's dream landscape, this is Ricola country that produces some of the most distinctive and mineral-swathed white wine in Europe...all from the esoteric Gringet varietal – a grape that longs for its often cold and harsh pre-alpine environment like none I’ve ever witnessed.
In a similar vein to 2010 in Burgundy (or, more accurately Chablis), this year’s Les Alpes is more of a return to the 2007’s style and it is entering a splendid little phase that gives and takes from the taster’s senses in a most unusual fashion (I will let you experience it over an evening to see what I mean). If the 2007 is any indication, the 2010 should become more delineated and complex as the next 3-5 years tick away.
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Almost thought it was Muscadet at first. The acidity is very Muscadet like indeed. But it has more floral element, toasted almonds, more dense. Nice one.
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This was fun. Very ripe fruit (due to vintage?), which pushes it to the point of "almost ox'ed" as I like to say. Full-bodied, yet good (not crazy) acid. Hard to describe the aromas, but I think of it as a rose-y aroma with some nuttiness. A lot like a good Altesse. Really fascinating wine--but fuller bodied than I'd expect from a "mountian wine."
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Clean, fresh, lazer like focus. Stones, alpine flowers, this wine was just a delight! There without actually needing to be. Present but never trying to steal the show. Brings back old skiing memories in Morrillion and the local fondue we enjoyed so much.
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new grape "Gringet", so i did not rate it. nose of slate, flowers, possibly some oxidation. Dark gold color. Palate was dry, crisp, slate, possibly some tannins. medium finish. I would guess some skin contact providing the tannins. i woudl rate a 90-92 and would buy again.
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I hiked through the Savoie region tasting wines and cheeses. I've got to say this is one of the best wines I have had from the region. Crisp, flowery, long finish, and that was 3 days after receipt. Can't wait to see what it tastes like in a year or two. One of my most satisfying Garagiste purchases. Sorry I only bought a case.
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I like this. Color wise, it looks pretty mature making you wary of premox, but no worry. This wine has plenty of crisp acidity and some floral aspects that make it pretty interesting. Went great with grilled dorade.
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5/17/2019 - Neurowine1 wrote:
Found this btl that I thought was missing. Would have been better off. Slightly ox but still drinkable. Even so, tired, clumsy, and missing any sort of alpine charm. These really out to be DYA wines.
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6/16/2017 - Neurowine1 wrote:
Five years in the box. One went missing. Waiting too long on this one. Have had mixed experiences with aging Savoie wines. This has oxidized a bit. Still there is a nice mineral core, and tight acidity. Need to check this out again in an updated version.
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1/1/2017 - ekessler wrote:
Good balance. Creamy. Medium yellow. Grassy, herbacious. Some nice citrus notes.
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4/26/2016 - wineismylife wrote: 89 Points
WIML89
Tasted non blind.
Light yellow to yellow color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of lemon verbena, lavender and mixed tropical fruits. Flavors of fennel pollen, lemon and minerals. Bright acidity, light to medium body. Drink now.
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3/27/2015 - jdrago wrote: 91 Points
Aromas of fresh baked bread, butterscotch candy and green apple jolly ranchers. Great aromas. Taste is very smooth, saline , subtle tropical fruit.
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9/11/2014 - John Nezlek wrote: 90 Points
I liked this wine (as the score suggests). Minerality galore, but it is subtle blend. I must confess that I am not certain what I would have thought if I had tasted this wine blind because it is more "cerebral" than hedonic. Drink and think. Always a welcome attribute, well, usually. :-)
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8/13/2014 - jkwatson Likes this wine: 90 Points
love this stuff!
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3/30/2014 - Atwellian wrote: flawed
Nose is oxidative, sherry. Color is deep brassy gold of a turned white. Taste is sherry, some apple notes, a hint of life remaining. Looking at the tasting history it appears that there may be some provenance issues with this shipment to the States.
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3/6/2014 - vanpe003 wrote:
Possible bottle variation? This is MUCH more advanced than a bottle from a year or so ago. Noticeably oxidized, though not to the point of being undrinkable. I was ok with it, G. was not.
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3/3/2014 - UpfromtheCellar wrote: 89 Points
After receiving an email touting this and other Savoie wines from one of my favorite indie wine stores earlier today, I decided to go down into the cellar this evening and bring up an "older" bottle to see how this beauty was faring.
The floral, lemony, mineral, and alpine herb flavors are still just singing that sound of music. Delightfully focused, balanced, flavorful and nice. This is a great bottle and around $20 a bargain. Sadly the 2012 vintage has climbed to over $30 in many retail stores as more and more people have discovered this relatively unknown gem.
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8/19/2013 - winemaker Likes this wine: 91 Points
Really tasty. Interesting interplay here between the savory herbal elements and the apple fruit. Has a brioche note sort of like you get with some Champagne. Plenty of minerality here.
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7/13/2013 - Mr T wrote:
similar to last bottle...still seems oxidative combined with the taste of apple juice....I will not buy this again, although I have 2 bottles in the cellar of the 2011
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7/5/2013 - winemaker Likes this wine: 92 Points
Not everyone will love this grape, but I love this wine. I love the stony, lemony, herbal aspect of this wine. An interesting and contemplative white.
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4/30/2013 - salil wrote: 84 Points
Didn't find the bright acid here that others note; in fact served blind I had no clue this was from a cool growing region given the bright, ripe yellow fruit and florality, and surprisingly soft mouthfeel. It's quite pleasant but not particularly complex and leaves me wanting a bit more cut and focus.
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4/26/2013 - RedLoverJim wrote:
Noticeable salinity, with just a hint of very dry dehydrated red apple. Interesting wine. Would go well with a hearty fish or sushi.
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4/8/2013 - tendring Likes this wine: 89 Points
Wine Education Service - Jura and Savoie (LSE): Intense green gold.
Peppery, resinous, nutty, interesting nose.
Delicious, maybe grapefruit, good balance, a bit sherry-like, quite long.
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4/7/2013 - UpfromtheCellar wrote: 88 Points
Another wonderful light, fragrant, tight, focused bottle. Slight oxidation noticed. Is it another year or just the bottle?
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2/24/2013 - toineton wrote: 90 Points
Opened and carafes an hour before serving because of A bit of reduction. An hour later the reduction smell was gone. Intense gold color, nose: apple and citrus and a subtle mineral touch, aromas are not intense. Mouth: low acidity and alcohol, the red apple is overpowering the citrus fruits and the minerality is taking over when the fruits vanish (a bit early to my taste). The mineral finale is well balanced and just long enough to call for another sip. Very good value. Drink now! The pairing with fennel salad was a killing!!
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2/4/2013 - xwine wrote:
My first time with Gringet. Fascinating aromas and flavors of herbs, with a chalky back note. Almost like a dry yellow Chartreuse (as E said). Really lovely, but not a great QPR.
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1/27/2013 - winemaker Likes this wine:
Similar to last bottle. You will either love it or hate it. I am in the love it category.
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11/10/2012 - Frabjous wrote:
100% Grignet, from the foot of Mont Blanc in Savoie. Bought a few of these from Jon @Garagiste.
Put in the fridge from the cellar, then popped and let warm up for 15-20 minutes. Pale golden yellow in the glass. Muted but intriguing nose of lemon dripped onto slate. On the front of the palate, very smooth and round which rolls to mid-palate with a further pulse of citrus, but more grapefruit or orange, sort of the flavor of grapefruit but with just a touch of orange sweetness. Somewhat tart on the back of the tongue, but the finish reveals just a soupcon of sweet honey after twenty seconds or so, almost like the tartness rolled or peeled back to reveal the touch of sweetness underneath - very interesting!
- There’s also some chalkiness on or after the finish, just a dusting…
I’ve got some bubbly made by Belluard also from Grignet grapes, we’ll pop one over the holidays, can’t wait!
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9/29/2012 - Mr T wrote:
bottle seemed premoxed to us
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8/30/2012 - winemaker wrote: 91 Points
Really drinking well. Minerally, herbal, elderflower notes and has a sort of savory aspect to it as well.
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8/10/2012 - stvjackson wrote: 90 Points
My favorite white wines typically feature plenty of minerality and plenty of acid, and this delivers strongly on both counts. Aromas of slate, pink grapefruit, lavender and sea spray, followed by a distinctively acidic - but softly so, palate. There's a nice burst of Meyer lemon fruit in the middle, before giving way to a lingering tart and minerally finish. Quite enjoyable.
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8/9/2012 - chatters wrote:
Living Wines trade tasting (Berta Restaurant, Sydney): crisp acid, very neutral other than this...meh
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7/22/2012 - vanpe003 wrote: 91 Points
Crisp and refreshing, with a surprisingly strong backbone of fruit that leads to a very long finish.
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7/22/2012 - PSirah Tampa wrote: 90 Points
Bright acids and creamy texture- interesting.
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7/13/2012 - winemaker wrote: 89 Points
Second bottle. Low alcohol. An interesting wine. I am not sure it will make old bones. I intend to drink my remaining bottles over the next 6 mo. or so. Flowers, minerals and some honey on the finish. To me the acidity has softened a lot just in the past three months.
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6/29/2012 - SonomaWilliam wrote: 91 Points
the variation in consumer descriptors is quite amazing....bottle variation or that much palate perception differences.?
A find from Garagiste (why did I only get one sigh). This is a geeks wine for sure, but wouldn't be appreciated by mainstream consumers.
12% alcohol...the way Bacchus intended white wine to be :) (means I can consume more!)
Gold yellow color.
The wine changes quite a bit after opening 30 minutes.
The nose is striking, and unique; citrus white pith, wet stone, note of almond.
In the mouth its acidity shows immediately and throughout, but is balanced by
slightly viscous mouth feel and pleasing weight. Notes of lemon, peach, a tiny of of bitterness,
but not as a negative.
Wonderful. Look forward to trying second day.
From Garagist Notes:
Leaders in the cement “oeuf” movement in France, I’ve told the Belluard story repeatedly over the years but it’s the vineyard that speaks louder than any of my words – high in elevation and surrounded by a yodeler's dream landscape, this is Ricola country that produces some of the most distinctive and mineral-swathed white wine in Europe...all from the esoteric Gringet varietal – a grape that longs for its often cold and harsh pre-alpine environment like none I’ve ever witnessed.
In a similar vein to 2010 in Burgundy (or, more accurately Chablis), this year’s Les Alpes is more of a return to the 2007’s style and it is entering a splendid little phase that gives and takes from the taster’s senses in a most unusual fashion (I will let you experience it over an evening to see what I mean). If the 2007 is any indication, the 2010 should become more delineated and complex as the next 3-5 years tick away.
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6/23/2012 - Pierre-Yves wrote: 89 Points
Almost thought it was Muscadet at first. The acidity is very Muscadet like indeed. But it has more floral element, toasted almonds, more dense. Nice one.
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6/16/2012 - drinkfunkyanddance wrote:
This was fun. Very ripe fruit (due to vintage?), which pushes it to the point of "almost ox'ed" as I like to say. Full-bodied, yet good (not crazy) acid. Hard to describe the aromas, but I think of it as a rose-y aroma with some nuttiness. A lot like a good Altesse. Really fascinating wine--but fuller bodied than I'd expect from a "mountian wine."
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6/9/2012 - drwine2001 wrote:
Light, clean and very floral. A bit too aromatic for me but well made wine.
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5/25/2012 - UpfromtheCellar wrote: 90 Points
Clean, fresh, lazer like focus. Stones, alpine flowers, this wine was just a delight! There without actually needing to be. Present but never trying to steal the show. Brings back old skiing memories in Morrillion and the local fondue we enjoyed so much.
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5/20/2012 - davestenton wrote:
The Real Wine Fair 2012 (London): Floral with a little honey. Very mineral. Long. Excellent. 17/20.
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5/19/2012 - 5laton wrote:
Delightful. Loving this vintage for the Belluard wines.
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5/10/2012 - gwkozar wrote:
new grape "Gringet", so i did not rate it.
nose of slate, flowers, possibly some oxidation. Dark gold color. Palate was dry, crisp, slate, possibly some tannins. medium finish. I would guess some skin contact providing the tannins.
i woudl rate a 90-92 and would buy again.
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5/8/2012 - stadler Likes this wine:
Dégustation de la SCO au complet 2012 (Paris 12e, France): Robe jaune foncé. Nez de fleurs blanches et note citronnée le tout avec une belle franchise dans les arômes. Bonne acidité sapide et impression générale positive.
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4/30/2012 - sababa1022 wrote: 92 Points
I hiked through the Savoie region tasting wines and cheeses. I've got to say this is one of the best wines I have had from the region. Crisp, flowery, long finish, and that was 3 days after receipt. Can't wait to see what it tastes like in a year or two. One of my most satisfying Garagiste purchases. Sorry I only bought a case.
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4/7/2012 - winemaker wrote: 90 Points
I like this. Color wise, it looks pretty mature making you wary of premox, but no worry. This wine has plenty of crisp acidity and some floral aspects that make it pretty interesting. Went great with grilled dorade.
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