Highlights? A couple of very nice Riojas, some decent Rhone whites as always, an interesting 2007 Barossa shiraz/cab from Rusden that somehow ended up in a Paris auction, but the stand out for the period was for sure the 2013 Anselmo Mendes Alvarinho Parcela Única. A new discovery for me but the things this guy can do with Alvarinho are quite something.
- 2016 Château Pierre 1er - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru (6/27/2021)
Mid red. Impressive on the nose with dark plum, cherry liqueur, and almost a graphite like note. Very pure and fruit driven. Fresh and well balanced on the palate. This is a surprise package, really excellent for the price (sub €19). 91-92pts. (91 pts.) - 2019 Jean Bouchard Chassagne-Montrachet Rouge - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet (6/27/2021)
Mid purple red. Bright cherry nose. Crushed red berries. Spice. Fresh palate with crisp acidity and a distinct spicy red berry character. Quite pleasant if not something to especially write home about. (88 pts.) - 2018 M. Chapoutier St. Joseph Blanc Deschants - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, St. Joseph (6/25/2021)
Bottle 4 from a six pack. Glowing yellow in the glass. This is textbook Marsanne. Plenty of citrus and honeysuckle, slightly rich on the nose while the palate has a pleasant crystalline structure. Just a touch of oiliness but quite crisp acidity to close. Excellent drinking now and good value for <€20. (91 pts.) - 2019 Domaine Yves Cuilleron St. Joseph Lyseras Blanc - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, St. Joseph (6/19/2021)
Marsanne/roussane blend. Mid yellow. Appealing nose of citrus and honeysuckle. Reasonable purity and intensity pm the palate, with maybe just a touch of phenolic grip. Pretty decent, to drink now or over the next 3-4 years. (90 pts.) - 2018 Stéphane Ogier Viognier de Rosine - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Vin de Pays des Collines Rhodaniennes (6/12/2021)
Pale yellow, on the nose this shows the lean and elegant side of Viognier. Apricots of course dominate, but not in an overripe or canned flavour. Maybe even a touch shy. The palate is slippery and a touch oily. No phenolic grip. The overall impression is of purity of fruit expression. Maybe not quite to the level of Condrieu but when this can be had around EU19 that is pretty good value in my book. (90 pts.) - 2019 Vinos Valtuille Bierzo Pago de Valdoneje - Spain, Castilla y León, Bierzo (6/10/2021)
Deep, clear magenta. Bright, lifted red berries on the nose, with a slight hint of red lollies. Crisp red fruit and slightly angular acidity on the palate, closing with surprising grip to the tannin. Pleasant drinking and good value. 86-87pts. (87 pts.) - 2019 Daniel Bouland Morgon Bellevue - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Morgon (6/8/2021)
I think this is my third bottle of this out of a six pack. Deep red this has the typical dark fruited balance of Bouland’s Morgon wines. Fleshy red and dark fruits on the nose with no hint of confection. Very pure, yet dense. Quite full and rich on the palate but with good acid balance and freshness, and quite firm tannins to close. Very drinkable now although I expect it will be even better in several years time. 91-92pts+. (92 pts.) - 2018 Joseph Drouhin Côte de Beaune Villages - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Côte de Beaune Villages (6/4/2021)
Deep red. On the nose there is a clear sous bois or undergrowth character, with spicy red berries lurking underneath. Relatively austere on the palate, with noticeably grippy tannins. Quite a serious Pinot for sub €20. I suspect this can improve for at least a couple further years, although of course it’s perfectly enjoyable now. (91 pts.) - 2019 Louis Jadot Givry - France, Burgundy, Côte Chalonnaise, Givry (6/4/2021)
Clear purpleish red. On the nose this is quite spicy, with perfumed red berries underneath. Really opens up with air. Quite sweet and full on the palate, but with quite good definition of flavor. This has genuine appeal and for €17 the value proposition is not bad. (89 pts.) - 2019 Palacio de Bornos Verdejo Rueda La Caprichosa - Spain, Castilla y León, Rueda (6/3/2021)
Straight Verdejo which spends three months on lees. 42,600 bottles produced. Clear green/yellow in the glass this is phenomenally drinkable. Fresh but ripe aromas of fruit salad, with round fruit and good acid on the palate. Remarkable value for easy summer drinking. - 2019 Bodegas Riojanas Rioja Fermentado en Barrica Monte Real - Spain, La Rioja, Rioja (6/2/2021)
Clear and bright yellow/green. Notable but genuine seeming oak character. Ripe stone fruit. Altogether quite drinkable and excellent value. (86 pts.) - 2018 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape Télégramme - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (6/1/2021)
As noted elsewhere, the second wine behind Vieux Telegraphe, this is 80pc Grenache with 10pc Syrah, 6pc Mourvèdre and 4pc Cinsault. “Young vines” of just 30 years old (!) to be enjoyed in its youth, according to the label. Nevertheless the price suggests you should at least hope for more than that conveys, and this delivers on that implied promise. Wonderfully fresh, pure Grenache driven nose, neither over ripe nor confected. Really quite beguiling. Red and dark fruits dominate the palate, which is mouth filling but with quite crisp acidity and gentle fuzzy tannin to close. Hardly budges when open for three days which suggests no rush to drink, although it’s perfectly ready to go now. (92 pts.) - 2010 La Rioja Alta Rioja Gran Reserva 904 - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja (5/29/2021)
On first opening the house style like always speaks loudest. Clear light/mid red. Waves of varnish/glue like oak. Lovely fragrance and purity. But then there is an almost rambunctious note- dark cherry fruit carrying over the structure. Shows the strength of the vintage perhaps. Over 24+ hours it gathers freshness but otherwise doesn’t budge. Long and lingering on the palate, with broad, even tannin. Surprisingly enjoyable now but i am quite sure this will live a very long time indeed. (94 pts.) - 2010 Bodegas Muga Rioja Gran Reserva Prado Enea - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja (5/29/2021)
I had this side by side with the La Rioja Alta 904 of the same year, and by comparison this was much darker in color. Very closed at first. Intriguingly both wines spoke more of the oak treatment than the fruit, but in different ways. With air the Muga showed charry notes, dark cherry, plum, and even a cola like note. Definitely some varnish as well. The palate takes awhile to open up before showing dense plum flavor and finishing with firm, slightly gritty tannin. Even at 11 years this is monolithic. The quality is clear but will it ever truly deserve the accolades given on release? Give it at least 10 years before drinking and find out. (93 pts.) - 2015 Bodega Classica Rioja Hacienda López de Haro Reserva - Spain, La Rioja, Rioja (5/29/2021)
Deep red. Quite a youthful, fruit driven nose for a Reserva. Gentle plum, cherry notes. A touch of vanilla as well. Smooth and juicy on the palate with minimal tannins. A simple crowd pleasing Rioja, but good value around €10. - 2018 Ossian Quintaluna - Spain, Castilla y León, Rueda (5/21/2021)
100% Verdejo from mostly pre-phylloxera vines (!) on sandy soils. Fermentation was in stainless steel with native yeasts and only a "small portion" was aged in oak. Bright yellow in colour, this presents a slightly sharp, angular nose with citrus notes predominant, accompanied by hints of more tropical fruit. On the palate there is plenty of zippy acidity, but the balance is not bad. Finishes crisp and dry. Cries out for a food match with something like oily fried seafood. (87 pts.) - 2013 Anselmo Mendes Alvarinho Parcela Única - Portugal, Minho, Vinho Verde (5/20/2021)
Even on first opening this is a bewitching and utterly beguiling white wine. The color remains a youthful yellow/green. On the nose the first impression is of classic Albariño citrus and salt spray, and maybe just a touch of oiliness from the aging, which gives way to a smoky, woodsy hint which signals well judged use of oak. With more air some riper stone fruit emerges, and on the palate this shows much clearer. The weight of the wine is almost luscious but not for a second cloying, and the finish is long and lingering. I rarely wax lyrical like this so take that as my recommendation. (Recent auction buy) (94 pts.) - 2007 Rusden Ripper Creek - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley (5/20/2021)
Recent auction buy (why it was lingering here in Paris is hard to say but I felt like a taste from home). The bottle looked in perfect shape and the cork excellent. The wine pours deep magenta with a slight haze (I didn’t decant so not surprising). When I used to drink a lot more Aussie wine I always thought the best Barossa Shiraz/cab could claim to be claret like and this supports that. On the nose there is gentle red fruit, spice, an aged slightly green note, but with air hints of liqueur plum and almost graphite still emerge. The palate remains redolent of warm Barossan fruit. Impressive. (60/40 cab Sav/Shiraz and only 13.5pc alcohol - and all the better for that). (92 pts.) - 2017 Ferrer Bobet Priorat Vinyes Velles - Spain, Catalunya, Priorat (5/17/2021)
Apparently this wine is 74% Cariñena and 26% Garnacha from 70+ year old vineyards, and it sees 16 months in French barriques. Bright purple red, this shows surprising elegance for a Carignan dominant wine in a warm year. On the nose there is bright red and purple fruit, as well as a distinct glue-like oak character. Structured but appealing, a notion which carries through on the palate, which offers quite fleshy fruit and smooth tannins. Impressive and ready to drink now, although I think a couple of further years might allow the oak to integrate further on the nose. 93-94pts. (93 pts.) - 2019 Château du Cèdre Cahors Extra Libre - France, Southwest France, Cahors (5/15/2021)
Deep purple red. Despite 12 months in oak this is surprisingly lithe and fresh. Red berries, cherry and gentle plum dominant. Seems almost “natural” in the transparency of the aroma and the crunchy acidity (which you might well classify it as since it is bottled without sulfites). Pretty decent but the value at nearly €20 is questionable. (87 pts.) - 2019 Domaines Brocard Chablis Sainte Céline - France, Burgundy, Chablis (5/11/2021)
The wine I have is labeled “Famille Brocard” but as best I can tell it’s approximately the same wine. Anyway, the version I have is rather impressive Chablis for €12. Crisp citrus notes with real minerality and a nice balance of fruit ripeness with crisp acidity. (87 pts.) - 2018 Clos I Terrasses Priorat Laurel - Spain, Catalunya, Priorat (5/9/2021)
Deep red. On the nose this shows cool red berries, with none of the warmth or sugary, over ripe notes that in my view sometimes detract from Priorat wines. Pleasing intensity of red and dark fruits on the palate, with quite firm but fine tannins to close. Drinks well today, although I am sure a couple of years in the cellar wouldn’t hurt it. (93 pts.) - 2013 Château Bouscaut Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (5/8/2021)
Mid yellow. Waxy citrus on the nose, seeming more influenced by the Sémillon even though it’s a dominant Sav Blanc. Nice freshness and depth. Lingering citrus and good acidity on the palate. In a good place to drink now, although it doesn’t look like it will fall over anytime soon. (92 pts.) - 2015 Bodegas Beronia Rioja Reserva - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja (5/6/2021)
Deep red. Classic modern rioja. Blood plums, vanillin oak, spice. Quite juicy fruited but with plenty of structure too. Red berries, good acid and grippy tannins in the mouth. Overall quite fresh and youthful. Excellent value, with time to burn in the cellar. 89-90pts. (89 pts.) - 2019 Vignerons de Caractère Beaumes-de-Venise Terroir Daronton - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Beaumes-de-Venise (5/5/2021)
What is this wine? It is a quest to find out. Noted here on CT as "Vignerons de Caractere". Labelled as "Terroir Daronton" but legally bottled by "Rhonéa SCA" whose website lists a bewildering array of Domaines, vineyards, partners and labels they are involved with plus their own Rhonéa collections with AOCs across the Rhone... and finally a tab for Terroir Daronton, a notation which again covers almost all of the Rhone from "388 grape growing families". About this wine I could only tell you it is Grenache/Syrah with a mere drop of cinsault. Negotiants like this with their endless very slightly different labels blurred with things they only distribute drive me nuts. Cool but ripe red berries. Clearly Grenache based, but with good depth. Maybe just a touch sour across the fruit to score higher, but perfectly fine and decent value. 86-87pts. (86 pts.) - 2018 Château Lagrezette Cahors Chevalier - France, Southwest France, Cahors (5/4/2021)
Seems a slightly different label than when sold direct from the winery (so could be a slightly different wine made for Carrefour or just lazily inconsistent labeling? Who knows, it’s France). A straight Malbec from a well known producer, this is excellent. Ripe but nuanced red and dark fruits on the nose. Some dusty, spicy notes as well. Dry and balanced on the palate, with a long, even finish, just a touch of warmth poking through. For c€9 this is exceptionally good value. (90 pts.) - 2012 Parés Baltà Cava Brut Blanca Cusine - Spain, Cava (5/3/2021)
No formal notes as this was drunk convivially, but this was very enjoyable. Crisp and fresh but with some nice toasty character as well. Decent value for money. (89 pts.) - 2019 Enate Chardonnay Fermentado en Barrica - Spain, Aragón, Somontano (5/3/2021)
100% Chardonnay from a warm, dry season which is fermented in barrel and then spends 7 months on lees in new French oak. Bright yellow flecked with green, this has a powerful "old school" Chardonnay nose. Plenty of ripe apricot, toasty oak, and creamy vanilla. On the palate the fruit and the oak are in quite good balance, with a bit more crisp citrus as well as riper stone fruit character. I suspect this won't be everyone's cup of tea (especially for those who prefer a leaner, racier, "Chabli-esque" style of Chardonnay... which seems the majority view these days) but I like it. Excellent QPR around €16. 88-89pts. (88 pts.) - 2015 Celler Cal Pla Priorat Mas d'en Compte Negre - Spain, Catalunya, Priorat (5/2/2021)
Seems some confusion in the pictures and comments whether people are having the “Mas d’en compte” label or not (label has the name at the top in black all caps then Celler Cal Pla in gold letters underneath- I.e. not the first picture shown for this currently) but as one taster notes this is a blend of Grenache, Carignan and a small amount of cab Sav. Dense red, this shows layered red and black fruits on the nose. The palate has a bit of sugary fruit (bearing out the 15.5% abv) but it stays in balance. A dense ripe style but pretty enjoyable if you are into that type of wine. Decent QPR, which I find is not always common for Priorat. (90 pts.) - 2017 Mas Doix Priorat Salanques - Spain, Catalunya, Priorat (5/1/2021)
Bright purple red. The nose is ripe but structured, with a definite oak character dominating but not overwhelming the red/dark fruits. The Grenache character is stronger on the palate which has a purple lolly type flavor before quite grippy tannins kick in. This held up even if it didn’t necessarily show a lot more over several days, suggesting no rush to drink. (89 pts.) - 2019 Paul Thomas Sancerre Les Bouquettes - France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Sancerre (5/1/2021)
Very pale yellow. On the nose this is very fresh, with crisp fruit and nice balance to the typical pungency of Sav B. The palate is linear with bracing acidity and good minerality. Nice wine, and pretty good value for €16. (88 pts.)
