Jean Reverdy, Sancerre, La Reine Blanche 2007 Once again the smell of grass and grapefruit are in full force while the mouth follows suit with plenty of acidity and a little minerality.
My notes from the previous three vintages show this consistent thread of grapefruit and grass in a high acid frame
Produced from vines over 25 [...]

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Clos Rougeard, Saumur Champigny 2004 There’s complexity here in the nose, a combination of sweet oak, smokiness, chocolate and a little bit of volatility. The sweet flavors follow suit in the mouth with a heavy dose of brett and a tart framework. This wine goes on for a long time - very nice. The grapes [...]

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Catherine & Pierre Breton, Chinon, Beaumont 2005 The smells of sweet berry fruit with crush leaves and green herbs. In the mouth the wine is chewy and lightly but appropriately green with tart fruit flavors. The vines for the Beaumont are 50 years old and the wine is made in stainless. The domaine practices biodynamic [...]

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Domaine Didier Dagueneau, Pouilly-Fume, Pur Sang 2004 In this wine there is the smell of cat pee and minerality. The mouth is very concentrated and long, with ripe citrus flavors like orange and tangerine. This Sauvignon is barrel fermented. Produced in Sant Andelain 11.5% $53.99 at Bottle Barn back in 2006

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Domaine des Baumard, Savennières, Clos du Papillon 2004 This nose lights up with minerality and matchstick as the sulfur works it way into the air. There’s lanolin and a hint of green as well. The nose is full-on, intense acidity yet not acid alone. There is a viscosity as well and great concentration. This 100% [...]

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Domaine de la Louvetrie, Muscadet Sevre et Maine, Sur Lie, Hermine d’Or 2007 Tart and a bit like biting into the skin of a lime with the full fruit intensity of the lime as well. Yes, there’s the acidity you expect from Muscadet but this is hardly a lean one - very concentrated and livened [...]

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Domaine de la Butte, Bourgueil, “Le Pied de la Butte” 2007 The leafiness that you’d expect with fresh fruit of a Beaujolais. This is light-bodied and zippy with acidity and fruit in the mouth - a quaffer from the appellation. This is all Cab Franc sourced from the foot of the slope cultivated by Blot. [...]

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Francois Chidaine, Montlouis sur Loire, Clos Habert 2006 In the nose there is a complex mix of minerality and honey while the fruit flavors flow in the mouth from citrus to tropical with comparable acidity - very nice. The estate’s vineyards are certified organic. The vines in the Clos Habert are 60 years old. The [...]

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Domaine de la Chanteleuserie, Bourgueil Cuvée Alouettes 2006 The previous vintage of the Cuvee Beauvais showed the characteristic green of Cab Franc from the area with enough fruit to back it up. This wine is a bit reductive and tarry with black fruit and minerality underneath. The wine is chewy, earthy and on the rustic [...]

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Francis Blanchet, Pouilly-Fume, Cuvee Silice 2006 Corked, so who will ever know what to think about this wine.This is all stainless Sauvignon produced across the river from Sancerre. Silice is sourced from an old vine parcel, laden with silex, just up the river in Les Loges. Mis a la propriete a Le Bouchot in Pouilly-Sur-Loire [...]

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Regis Cruchet, Vouvray, Demi-Sec 1996
Then nose is quite evolved where there is a sense of varnish and nuttiness and a little lingering fruit. In the mouth though, there’s tropical fruit and lime with just enough residual sugar to pair this with some fresh berries, but nothing too sweet. Proprietaire and recoltant at Richambarde in Noizay [...]

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Domaine Le Peu de la Moriette (Domaine Pichot), Vouvray 2007 This wine embodies the sweet and tart character that Chenin can show so well when there’s a bit of residual sugar. The grapes are hand harvested from calcerous clay slopes with yields around 25 hectolitres/hectare. The wine is fermented and aged in large old wood [...]

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The previous tasting in the California and Europe class in San Francisco pitted Baumard against Oremus. Tonight’s flight brings in a different top-flight producer, this time from Sauternes. Both the Raymond-Lafon and the Oremus will be tasted side-by-side. In both cases the Oremus proved the favorite.
Chateau Raymond-Lafon Sauternes 2002
My notes from the [...]

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Domaine de Beausejour Chinon 2005
My notes from the 2004 say green and thin but OK if nothing else is available. The 2005 shows more fruit to smell but still has much that is green about it. In Sept. ‘08 this wine has more black fruit popping out amongst a light hint of bandaid and still [...]

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Domaine Les Hautes Noëlles Muscadet Côtes de Grandlieu sur lie 2006
The last vintage tasted, 2004 was very clean and bursting with acidity. Again tonight with the 2006, this wine struts its acidity with a freshness of fruit to smell in the nose. Mis par Serge Batard in St Léger Les Vignes, imp. to US by [...]

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Domaine André Vatan, Sancerre, Les Charmes 2006
The style point has always been lean and green, offering a sense of the appellation without the over $20 price of the more concentrated offerings. Today’s wine offered riper fruit flavors that are just delicious. There’s a sense of lemons and grapefruit with lots of refreshing acidity. André [...]

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