July/August Tasting Notes
Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2022 1:26 am
Latest tasting notes for the last two months. We have been doing a bit of drinking through accumulated three and six packs combined with relativdely cheap and cheerful whites and roses for the summer months, so not a lot of real stand outs here. Some good Bdx (2016 La Lagune, 2018 Lafon Rochet), a pleasantly surprising Corsican wine (2021 Sant Armettu Sartene) and a couple of very good repeat bottles of CnDP (2017 Domaine de la Charbonnière "Mourre des Perdrix") and Côte-Rôtie (2019 Domaine Yves Cuilleron "La Madinière").
- 2015 Two Hands Brave Faces - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley (8/30/2022)
This is a Grenache, mouvedre and Shiraz blend, second to last bottle from a six pack bought in Paris and this isn't bad. I know this producer well back in Oz, no idea how these ended up discounted over here but anyway. Sweet Grenache fruit, a little spice. Shows a touch of age but not too much. Enjoyable. (87 pts.) - 2021 Domaine Terre Davau Tavel - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Tavel (8/30/2022)
This is a blend of Syrah, Cinsault and Clairette. The colour is remarkably dark purple but the only sweetness is natural fruit sweetness. Note as dry as most French rose but this has real appeal. A full style that won't please everyone but I love it. Great value for under €9. (87 pts.) - 2020 Château de gaure Limoux - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Limoux (8/29/2022)
Fairly rich and ripe blend of Chardonnay and Chenin blanc. Quite an old school, almost blowsy style which I don't mind but others who prefer slightly racier acidity may prefer to avoid. (87 pts.) - 2020 Jeff Carrel Languedoc Les Darons - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc (8/29/2022)
This is not overly complex but it is crowd pleasing and easy to drink, with lots of sweet fruit held in balance without veering into over ripe or baked fruit territory. Excellent value for under €9. (87 pts.) - 2015 Palais de L'Ombrière Collection du Palais de Ducs - France, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Supérieur (8/29/2022)
This bottle was slightly corked so I won't score it, but this looks to be a fairly simple presentation of Bdx, that left open a day went slightly sweet, even porty, which is unusual for the region or the supposed 13% abv. NR (flawed) - 2016 Château La Lagune - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc (8/26/2022)
Just a quick note on my second bottle from a three pack and a similar impression to five months ago. Pretty classic, stately claret with pleasing definition and structure. Maybe entering a slightly closed point? I suspect it will show better in 3-5 years or more. (92 pts.) - 2018 Pierre Girardin Pommard Les Vaumuriens - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Pommard (8/26/2022)
Unfortunately despite my last note I couldn't keep my hands off these and opened another! Similar impressions to five months ago. Dark cherry fruit. Fairly dense. Just a hint of green and spice. Unmoved even when open for several days. Definitely one for the mid to long haul. (91 pts.) - 2018 M. Chapoutier St. Joseph Blanc Deschants - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, St. Joseph (8/26/2022)
Just a quick impression, but this bottle was not quite as impressive as previous examples. Still a perfectly nice St Joseph. (87 pts.) - 2021 Enate Somontano Rosado - Spain, Aragón, Somontano (8/26/2022)
Deep pink purple red. Sweet but not over sweet. Reminds me of Aussie rose made from the same varietal. Overall this is pretty decent. (87 pts.) - 2016 Château Rahoul - France, Bordeaux, Graves (8/25/2022)
Pleasant mid bodied Graves. No real notes, but this is enjoyable and fair value around €16. (87 pts.) - 2018 Jean Becker Pinot Gris Froehn - France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru (8/23/2022)
Pale yellow. Ripe pear, stone fruit and white flowers on the nose. Expressive, off dry and floral on the palate. The sweetness is well judged and avoids anything cloying. Delicious wine to match with Asian cuisine or as a summer aperitif. Great value at c€19. (93 pts.) - NV Larnaudie Hirault Champagne Premier Cru Prestige - France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru (8/23/2022)
50/50 Chardonnay/pinot noir. A melange of citrus and more aldehydic characters on the nose. Fairly masculine if you will, but nice balance. Good definition. Overall a nice Champagne. (90 pts.) - 2018 Moulin de la Roque Bandol Terre du Trias - France, Provence, Bandol (8/23/2022)
Decent fairly medium bodied Bandol with notes of ripe plum, a touch of varnish and some dried herbs. Enjoyable if somewhat forgettable. 86-87pts (86 pts.) - 2018 Château Lafon-Rochet - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe (8/21/2022)
Deep ruby red. Deeply fragrant blackberry, cassis and cedar on the nose. Lovely purity and definition. Layered and structured on the palate. Quite drinkable now but clearly will improve with further cellaring. 92-93 pts (92 pts.) - 2016 Di Majo Norante Aglianico Molise Contado Riserva - Italy, Molise (8/21/2022)
Fairly rich and ripe wine with aromas of stewed plum, dried fruits and herbs. Still balanced on the palate with sweet red fruits and reasonable length. Enjoyable wine. (89 pts.) - 2019 Les Pelerins de Lafon-Rochet - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe (8/21/2022)
Fairly fruit forward, with juicy blackcurrant and a fairly plush presentation on the palate. Really enjoyable second wine from this producer. (87 pts.) - 2015 Le Sillage de Malartic - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (8/19/2022)
No formal note, but this was a fairly pleasant mid-bodied claret that is primed for drinking now but should not fall over in the short-term. (88 pts.) - 2021 Stéphane Ogier Côtes du Rhône Le temps est venu Blanc - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône (8/19/2022)
Fairly simple but attractive Rhone white, with oily citrus character and just about enough acidity- maybe a little fat on the mid palate, but still it hangs together. For the price of c€12, its decent especially if you like the more textural whites of the Rhone. 86-87pts (87 pts.) - 2019 Clos Cibonne Tibouren Côtes de Provence Cuvée Spéciale - France, Provence, Côtes de Provence (8/15/2022)
For some reason I never put a note on this before but this was the last bottle from a six pack. This is a really interesting, unusual wine with crunchy red berries, spice and dried herb type characters, and a lovely food friendly acidity on the palate. Excellent moderately chilled in the warmer months. (89 pts.) - 2021 Belondrade y Lurton Quinta Apolonia - Spain, Castilla y León, Vino de la Tierra de Castilla y León (8/15/2022)
Interesting and enjoyable Verdejo, with fairly fresh crisp citrus and fruit salad notes and good acidity. Is it maybe a fraction over priced at €17? Perhaps, but still a decent enough wine. (87 pts.) - 2017 Domaine de la Charbonnière Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Mourre des Perdrix - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (8/13/2022)
Second bottle from a three pack. This is really impressive CndP, with intense red and dark fruits, cherry, and vanilla on the nose and really good balance on the palate. A little sweet and juicy but carries the 16% abv well. Drinks really well now, but I suspect no rush to finish these off. Maybe a 5-10 year window? (93 pts.) - 2021 Domaine Laroche Chablis Héritage du Chapitre - France, Burgundy, Chablis (8/13/2022)
Lovely fresh, clean Chablis with notes of citrus, saline, and grapefruit. Not too lean, which I appreciate but still a fairly racy type of Chardonnay. Pretty fair value around €19. (91 pts.) - 2019 Domaine Georges Vernay Condrieu La Croix de l'Oiseau - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Condrieu (8/13/2022)
No formal notes but similar impressions to the previous two bottles. Very enjoyable and balanced Coindrieu and just under €30 so decent value. - 2019 Bodegas Alejandro Fernández Ribera del Duero Tinto Pesquera - Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero (8/11/2022)
Only a quick impression but this is a pretty enjoyable Ribera crianza. Quite sweet fruit, a bit of clear oak influence. Cherry, spice and vanilla. Maybe just a couple of bucks over priced. (88 pts.) - 2018 La Granja Nuestra Señora de Remelluri Rioja Lindes de Remelluri Viñedos de Labastida - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alavesa, Rioja (8/10/2022)
Just a quick note but this was a lovely clean and fresh mid bodied young rioja. Great value around €15. (89 pts.) - 2019 Château Ventenac Patience - France, Vin de France (8/7/2022)
Really interesting little wine with crunchy red berry flavours and good acidity. Feels cooler climate like it was more from the Loire than near Carcassonne. Lovely poise and balance but with persistence as well. Food friendly. Overall this is impressive. 91-92pts (91 pts.) - 2019 Château de Santenay Mercurey Vieilles Vignes - France, Burgundy, Côte Chalonnaise, Mercurey (8/6/2022)
Quite a powerful style with ripe dark cherry notes and quite grippy tannins on the palate. A little rustic maybe but still quite clean and even. Pretty decent and a good price for 1er cru around €22. (89 pts.) - 2021 Nathalie Haussmann Côtes de Provence Rosé - France, Provence, Côtes de Provence (8/6/2022)
Delicious easy drinking rose with nice, fresh strawberry flavours and decent acidity. Fair value around €9. (87 pts.) - 2016 Louis Chavy Monthélie Les Sous-Roches Tastevinage - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Monthélie (8/4/2022)
Slightly unusual and confusing label and an AOC I’m not really familiar with, still at around €18 in the Casino supermarket at Beaune I thought why not. And indeed this is quite decent, a little sous bois character, some red berries, a touch of spice. Relatively developed and ready to go although obviously storage is an unknown and it’s been a heat wave here. Overall I have to say… not bad. (88 pts.) - 2019 Jean Bouchard Fixin - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Fixin (8/2/2022)
Delightfully seductive young burgundy with supple red fruits, lovely balance and nice spice elements. Drinks well slightly chilled in summer. Delicious and good value under €20. (91 pts.) - 2021 Pazo de Señoráns Albariño Rías Baixas - Spain, Galicia, Rías Baixas (7/29/2022)
Very fresh and crisp on the nose, dominated by bright citrus notes, with just a hint of floral elements. This impression carries through on the palate which closes with quite zippy acidity. Ideal to drink now in the summer with fresh seafood. (89 pts.) - 2014 La Granja Nuestra Señora de Remelluri Rioja Reserva - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alavesa, Rioja (7/27/2022)
The last time I had this wine which was the 2010 I found quite a bit of barnyard, and while this vintage seems fresher it definitely remains an elemant and I do question if there is some brett. Otherwise this is a failrly classical, traditional Rioja with deep plum, vanilla, and old spice elements. A little disjointed and woody on the palate, but reasonably persistent. Decent wine, but a little over priced compared to some of the peers. 88-89 pts, may score higher in time. (88 pts.) - 2018 La Gravette de Certan - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol (7/26/2022)
Deep plum and blackcurrant fruit on the nose. Needs air to open up, at which point the fruit becomes quite boisterous. There is a touch of an almost soy llike note as well. A little unbalanced now, but this is a powerful and intense wine that I expect will offer better drinking in 3-5yrs and should hold for at least the 10yrs the expert tasters expected with perhaps even more longevity in a good celler. 92-93pts. (92 pts.) - 2018 Bodega de Bardos Ribera del Duero Bardos Reserva - Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero (7/26/2022)
Intense, and deeply fragrant with red and black fruits, stewed plums, vanilla, and woody spice. Classic Ribera type of nose. The balance is pretty good though and it holds up well even when open for a few days. A fruit forward wine for sure, but delicious and decent value around €18. (89 pts.) - 2020 Domaine Maratray-Dubreuil Ladoix 1er Cru Les Gréchons Blanc - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Ladoix 1er Cru (7/23/2022)
Mid yellow. Quite intense and ripe on the nose, with hints of melon and peach as well as some citrus notes. Reasonably full bodied and layered on the palate. Decent balance and persistence. Overall, this is pretty enjoyable and fairly priced. (91 pts.) - 2021 Sant Armettu Vin de Corse Sartene - France, Corsica, Vin de Corse Sartene (7/23/2022)
Clear, fairly pale red. Enticing nose of spicy red cherry and an almost strawberry like character, combined with a touch of slight dried herbs. Very pure and expressive. Soft and juicy on the palate. This is frankly delicious, and lightly chilled makes an excellent red for the warmer weather. 91-92pts (91 pts.) - 2021 Bodegas Julián Chivite Las Fincas Rosado - Spain, Navarra (7/23/2022)
Pale salmon pink. Strawberries and cream profile on the nose. Fairly dry and crisp on the palate with broad red berry fruit. Really pleasant easy going summer drinking and pretty good value. (87 pts.) - 2021 Raul Pérez Rías Baixas Atalier a cruz das ánimas - Spain, Galicia, Rías Baixas (7/20/2022)
Intriguing nose, with the expected citrus character mingling with a distinct saline character and something else... I almost want to say pine resine, but that sounds too negative. On the palate there is an intense wall of acid to open, with puckering citrus flavours. Very clean and refreshing. A very good Rias Biaxis, and as normal for the region good value around €14. 89-90pts (89 pts.) - 2018 La Rioja Alta Rioja Viña Alberdi Crianza - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja (7/20/2022)
Surprisingly obvious house style on the nose despite this wines obvious junior position in the LRA heirarchy. Varnish, bright cherry, spice. Still quite juicy on the palate, but with an admirable amount of structure as well. Impeccable value around €15. (88 pts.) - 2020 Domaine Montmartel Côtes du Rhone Villages Visan - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhone Villages Visan (7/19/2022)
Enjoyable lighter bodied CdR village winem with gentle red fruits and a touch of spice. Easy drinking and able to be chilled a bit in these warmer days. Good value around €9. (86 pts.) - 2019 Domaine Yves Cuilleron Côte-Rôtie La Madinière - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie (7/18/2022)
A second tasting confirms this is really an excellent Cote-Rotie with great complexity and persistence of flavour. Likely to be very long lived. (94 pts.) - 2019 Paco y Lola Prime - Spain, Galicia, Rías Baixas (7/18/2022)
This is a "limited edition" Rias Baixas, of which which this is bottle 12,537. According to the label it is aged on fine lees with stirring in steel for at least six months. This treatment combined with a couple of years in bottle provides a more intense expression of Albarino, with concentrated lemon/citrus characters predominant on the nose, as well as some slightly saline hints and a touch of white flowers. Quite persistent in the mouth, with fairly bracing acidity. This is very fine, potentially age worthy Albarino, and for €15 this is a relative bargain. (91 pts.) - 2021 Bodegas Sierra Cantabria Rioja Rosado - Spain, La Rioja, Rioja (7/18/2022)
Dry, lightly fruity rose with good freshness and acidity. Great drinking on a hot day, and excellent value at €7. (86 pts.) - 2021 Martín Códax Albariño Rías Baixas - Spain, Galicia, Rías Baixas (7/16/2022)
This is a really delicious, crisp, clean Albarino. Very refreshing and the perfect summer time drink. Great value. (89 pts.) - 2005 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Shiraz - Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra (7/12/2022)
Still rich and fruit forward, with deep plum, spice, vanilla and purple liquer. Decent balance still, without much in the way of tertiary character and no hint of going porty. With a good cork this will last at least another 5-10yrs, well in excess of my first drinking window estimate from a decade ago! (92 pts.) - 2020 Pierre Gaillard St. Joseph - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, St. Joseph (7/11/2022)
This is really fresh and vibrant St Joseph with loads of plush purple fruit, plum, and vanilla. Really approachable and just so drinkable with great purity. Still good value even though it was just above €20. (92 pts.) - 2020 Domaine Gouron Chinon - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Chinon (7/10/2022)
Just a quick impression but this is a very serviceable chinon. Medium bodied and easy to drink. (87 pts.) - 2021 Domaine Combier Syrah Vin de Pays des Collines Rhodaniennes - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Vin de Pays des Collines Rhodaniennes (7/10/2022)
No formal notes, but this was a pretty pleasant wine. The shop assistant suggested it as an aperitif red but it actually had a bit more depth than that and maybe a touch of barnyard. Decent value. (87 pts.) - 2017 Château d'Agassac - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc (7/6/2022)
No formal notes but this was a perfectly pleasant mid-bodied claret without anything too much to either recommend it or detract from it. Maybe it needs more time or just one to drink now without too much thought? The value seems fair around €13. (87 pts.) - 2011 Château Peyrat-Fourthon - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc (7/2/2022)
This is a blend of 48pc cabernet, 44pc merlot and 8pc petit verdot. Grabbed off the shelf at Carrefour this is in excellent condition despite the 11 years of age. Deep blackberry and plum type fruit and vanillin predominate, with just a tough of green undergrowth. Impressive little wine and good value around €16. (91 pts.) - 2013 Anselmo Mendes Alvarinho Parcela Única - Portugal, Minho, Vinho Verde (7/1/2022)
Checking in again with this wine, which I first tried early last year. My thoughts are pretty similar. This remains incredibly youthful, with plenty of citrus and floral notes, as well as a slightly oily aspect, almost towards the kero you might see in older riesling. The palate is crisp, rich and poised. Really excellent wine. (93 pts.)