The results I tasted from both Clos Cantenac and Château Séraphine are downright delicious. Distinctly different from the two previous vintages, the reds are slightly more approachable at this stage than their predecessors, and they have a decisively bordelais flair. The rosés and white crackle with freshness and structure. All made in very small quantities, these are worth seeking out.
Read MoreWhen Fabrice Reynaud, the fifth-generation custodian along with his brother Philippe, asked if I would be interested to taste their flagship estate's 2020 en primeur wines, I was happy to do so. Sure, I was interested to taste some Graves wines from Bordeaux's excellent 2020 vintage, but I was also deeply curious to taste wines from Château des Places. Because in 1859, a large stash of Roman coins - one of the largest found in France - was found in the vineyards that a few years later began the legacy of this château. A Roman winemaker is purported to have buried them in 49 BC. How could a history buff refuse?
Read MoreThings move quickly at Domaine Courtault-Michelet. That's unusual on the sleepy hillsides surrounding Chablis. However, once you meet Stéphanie Courtault, the second-generation winemaker now leading the estate with her husband, Vincent Michelet, it's not so surprising. She's full of energy and enthusiasm - and with good reason considering how quickly her family's estate has made a name for itself and how rapidly it has grown.
Read MoreCharles Heidsieck made its first Blanc de Blancs in 1949. This non-vintaged cuvée, however, disappeared from the house's line-up until its reintroduction in 2018. This is composed of 2012 Côte des Blancs Chardonnay with 25% reserve wines averaging five years old. Disgorged in 2018, it received 10 g/L of dosage. It is a wine with captivating flair.
Read MoreWines arrive constantly at my doorstep and occasionally, I end up with wines that didn't fit into a tasting elsewhere that still merit write-ups. Such is the case here, with both of the reds being personal favorites.
Read MoreGraves is where Bordeaux's first vineyards were planted, yet the AOC remains a bit off the radar. This is one of many areas in Bordeaux where good potential lies for a high ratio of quality to value. This is especially true of wines that are not part of the Crus Classés de Graves, which account for only 16 of the 200 vignerons. Here is a small tasting of bottled 2019s from select producers sent directly from the properties this late spring.
Read MoreBeaujolais Crus are delightful summer wines. Their exuberant, raw fruit flavors and pronounced, minerally undertones deliver a vitality in the glass that offers a delicious compliment to more complex and equally fresh summer fare. However, Beaujolais Cru shouldn't be lumped in with Beaujolais or Beaujolais Villages - much less Nouveau styles - as a pairing for picnic fare and summer barbecues.
Read MoreDomaine de la Bégude is run by the seventh generation of the Tari Family, which hails from Château Giscours in Bordeaux's Margaux. As such, not only is this deeply-colored rosé typical of Bandol, it is also akin to the clairette style of rosé from Bordeaux. This Bandol Rosé is truly a rosé for all seasons.
Read MoreAligoté suddenly is a hot commodity as a Burgundian variety. Long a favorite, casual wine between family and friends of producers and of those that - gasp - wanted to make a Kir with it, Aligoté suffered from being the "second white grape" of Burgundy for far too long. Today it is chic and sought-after. Sometimes it's a "natural" wine expression. Other times it is clean-cut and pungently youthful. Yet other bottlings are a maze of complexity. Plus, throughout the styles, there are age-worthy ones. There is truly something for everyone in today's Aligoté.
Read MoreKind of Wild Wines hit all the right buzz words for today's concerned and informed consumer: "Made with Organic Grapes", "Supporting Organic Growers", "Free of Unwanted Additives", "Sustainable for Soil Health" and "1% to Environmental Partners" are some of their taglines. Mind you, only one of those snippets means anything legally.
Read MoreI often tease my winemaker friends in Burgundy’s Côte d’or that my favorite Chardonnay is Blanc de Blancs Champagne. I get a pass on that, though sometimes with a hesitant, sideways glance or sometimes with an eye roll. What I don’t dare say is that I think the most unique expressions of Chardonnay come from Chablis…. This is precisely why Chablis is one of my favorite Chardonnay places on the planet.
Read MoreAdrien Surain - with his two uncles - is making wines in the spirit of what I dubbed "Today's Bordeaux" in a report on affordable Bordeaux wines that I began a few years back. Eye-catching labels are paired with fruit-driven wines priced at very accessible prices. (Those listed below are approximate were the wines to be found in the US market.) I love the packaging, the fresh perspective and the humor, and I wish Château Surain much success in this new era.
Read MoreThese last few years I have tasted very few Alsatian wines at professional tastings. So, I jumped at the chance to taste these wines presented in New York in late spring. All of the wines showed well, but one domaine in particular stood out: the Domaine Kirrenbourg wines are riveting.
Read MoreOnce again, Martin Krajewski and his daughter, Charlotte, deliver focused, precise wines with immediate appeal yet evident ageability. Each offers ample delight, but as with the 2019s, I find an electrifying je ne sais quoi element with the Clos Cantenac.
Read MoreDomaine de Cala 2020 Coteaux Varois en Provence: pretty and minerally with strawberry accents and a full throttle bouquet of tree blooms and peonies, this is moreish rosé for sure. This is the most impressive Domaine de Cala I have tasted, save its Prestige release in 2018.
Read MoreDark gold in color, neither the appearance nor the aromas of this fizz are very fresh. It's one thing to have reserve wines in a non-vintage cuvée and another to have aggressive bottle evolution. Alas, this is neither a very exciting nor a very refreshing cuvée.
Read MoreChange is afoot in Bordeaux as one steps away from the classified growths and luxury cuvées for which the region is well-known, but which in reality only reflect a small portion of wine production. Higher proportions of "spice rack" varieties and less new oak - not to mention a much more experimental approach to fermenting and aging vessels - shape the resulting wines. Here are three innovative reds - all made by women - that I recently tasted. The Hors-Série is a new fave!
Read MoreToday’s Bordeaux is affordable Bordeaux. No, I’m not talking about the 2019 En Primeur campaign, where prices are being slashed despite the most recent declarations of “the vintage of the century” in the face of the challenges presented in bringing the wines to market in the face of COVID-19. Rather, I’m talking about the 90%+ of Bordeaux wines that are sold outside of the En Primeur system. In fact, many sold within the En Primeur system are highly affordable, too. The fanfare at the precipitous (price-wise) top of the quality pyramid has distracted far too many consumers for far too long. During the same time, quality was skyrocketing while prices throughout most the region remained modest.
Read MoreNicolas Potel has the most amazing side labels with information on surface area of vineyard planted, rootstock, plantation date, planting density, exposition, soil type, altitude, slope and even GPS location! They are ridiculously, delightfully nerdy. On the label you can also find the harvest date, fermentation vessel, final malolactic fermentation percentage, fining and filtration details and bottling date. It's almost as good as sitting with Nicolas himself.
Read MoreThis is the third Côté Mas that I have tasted in the last few years. The wines show clear familial style, but the 2019 is the most sophisticated yet.
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