Wine Regions & Grapes
Sampling of Wineries
Acorn Andrea Oberto Atlas Peak Benziger Beringer Blandy's Bodega Navarro Correas Burgans Cantina Terlano Chimney Rock Chronicle Domaine Carneros Domaine de la Mordoree Dow's Dr. Loosen Emilio Lustau Fonseca Foxen Gaston Riviere Glen Ellen Hess Collection Innocent Bystander Kendall-Jackson Korbel La Caudrina Luna Vineyards Madeira Wine Company Martin Codax Masi Merryvale Mulderbosch Navarro Vineyards Pahlmeyer Roederer Estate Ruggeri Sawyer Cellars Sbragia Six Sigma Winery St. James Steltzner Vineyards Trinchero Winery Trione V. Sattui Winery William Fevre Wilson Winery
Category Archives: Loire Valley
Pichot Vouvray 2009
Domaine Le Peu de la Moriette (Domaine Pichot), Vouvray 2009 The nose is a little dead on the first bottle opened – I suspect a low level of TCA. Fortunately, the second and third bottles have a much more vivid … Continue reading
Domaine de la Butte Bourgueil 2008
Domaine de la Butte, Bourgueil, “Le Pied de la Butte” 2008 At first opening this is pretty stinky so give it a good airing and then you’ll find the beautiful fruit. In the mouth it is light-bodied and fruity with … Continue reading
Posted in Bourgueil, Cabernet Franc, Loire Valley
Tagged Domaine de la Butte, Jacky Blot
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Andre Vatan Sancerre 2008
Domaine André Vatan, Sancerre, Les Charmes 2008 The nose features grass, lemon, minerality and perfume. In the mouth it is bracing with a sense of freshly sqeezed lemon juice – very nice. André Vatan is a generous and gregarious man who also … Continue reading
Domaine de Beausejour Chinon 2007
Domaine de Beausejour, Chinon 2007 This wine is riper than previous incarnations, showing black fruit beyond the capsicum. In the mouth it is green, but tolerable and gripping but tolerable. 100% Cab Franc with stainless ferment; Gerard et David Chauveau … Continue reading
Domaine Vacheron Sancerre 2008
Domaine Vacheron, Sancerre 2008 The nose sports minerality and lime. In the mouth you’ll find concentrated citrus, a sense of austerity, a very dry wine with overt minerality – very nice and very long. The only thing missing is the … Continue reading
Francois Chidaine Montlouis Clos Habert 2007
Francois Chidaine, Montlouis sur Loire, Clos Habert 2007 This wine was a tremendous disappointment after my experience with the previous vintage, reviewed earlier. First it was worrisome that the colour was quite golden. Smelling the wine was a first rate … Continue reading
Posted in Chenin Blanc, France, Loire Valley, Montlouis sur Loire
Tagged Francois Chidaine
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Sylvain Bailly Sancerre 2008
Sylvain Bailly, Sancerre, Terroirs 2008 The nose features the classic characteristic; there is lemon, pi pi de chat and grass. In the mouth the wine is crisp and mineral driven – spot on.Mis a Bue in Cher 12.5% $19.99 at … Continue reading
Coulee de Serrant 2004
Clos de la Coulee de Serrant, Savennieres-Coulee de Serrant 2004 The wine in this bottle is deeply golden, almost brown, the nose is very complex, the mouth is quite dense and the flavors go on for a long time. Yet … Continue reading
Posted in Chenin Blanc, Coulee de Serrant, France, Loire Valley, Savennieres
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Bouvet Brut Rose
Bouvet-Ladubay, Brut, Rose, Excellence nv There’s a candied red fruit character in the nose while in the mouth, the wine is lean and acidic, perhaps a little green, with a bitter, pithy grip. The grapes are Cabernet Franc and are … Continue reading
Posted in Cabernet Franc, France, Loire Valley, Rosé, Sparkling Dry
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Huet Moelleux 1990
Domaine Huet, Vouvray, Le Haut-Lieu, 1ere Trie, Moelleux 1990 This wine has developed a beautiful tawny color over almost 2 decades. The nose smells of toffee, caramel and raisins. The mouth is an absolute explosions of fresh oranges covered in … Continue reading
Posted in Chenin Blanc, France, Late Harvest White, Loire Valley, White Dessert
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Pichot Vouvray 2008
Domaine Le Peu de la Moriette (Domaine Pichot), Vouvray 2008 In the nose there is a sense of herbaceousness, candied green fruit and floral notes. In the mouth there is that familiar balance of the sweet and the tart, as … Continue reading
Posted in Chenin Blanc, France, Loire Valley, Vouvray
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Domaine des Hautes Noelles Muscadet 2006
Domaine des Hautes Noelles, Muscadet Sevre et Maine sur lie 2006 This wine has developed paraffin and lanolin characteristics in the nose. The acidity that one expects of Muscadet in the mouth is there with a rounded, silky texture – … Continue reading
Posted in France, Loire Valley, Melon, Muscadet
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Andre Vatan Sancerre 2007
Domaine André Vatan, Sancerre, Les Charmes 2007 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. This vintage sports minerality, pipi de chat and … Continue reading
Posted in France, Loire Valley, Sancerre, Sauvignon Blanc
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Huet Clos du Bourg Moelleux 2002
Domaine Huet, Vouvray, Clos du Bourg, Moelleux, Premiere Trie 2002 The nose sports minerality and citrus and the mouth is vivaciously alive, singing with acidity and joined in a chorus with flavors of tangerine and pineapple. This is certainly not … Continue reading
Posted in Chenin Blanc, France, Late Harvest White, Loire Valley, Vouvray, White Dessert
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Jean Reverdy Sancerre 2007
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 … Continue reading
Posted in France, Loire Valley, Sancerre, Sauvignon Blanc
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Clos Rougeard Saumur Champigny 2004
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 … Continue reading
Posted in Cabernet Franc, Loire Valley, Saumur-Champigny
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Catherine & Pierre Breton Chinon Beaumont 2005
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 … Continue reading
Posted in Cabernet Franc, Chinon, France, Loire Valley
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Didier Dagueneau Pur Sang 2004
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 … Continue reading
Posted in France, Loire Valley, Pouilly-Fume, Sauvignon Blanc
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Baumard Clos du Papillon 2004
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 … Continue reading
Posted in Chenin Blanc, France, Loire Valley, Savennieres
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Louvetrie Muscadet Sevre et Maine Hermine d’Or 2007
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 … Continue reading
Posted in France, Loire Valley, Muscadet
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Domaine La Butte Bourgueil “Le Pied de la Butte” 2007
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. … Continue reading
Posted in Bourgueil, Cabernet Franc, France, Loire Valley
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Francois Chidaine Montlouis Clos Habert 2006
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 … Continue reading
Posted in Chenin Blanc, France, Loire Valley, Montlouis sur Loire
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Running after Chinon
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 … Continue reading
Posted in Bourgueil, Cabernet Franc, Loire Valley
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Dry wines on the big river
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 … Continue reading
Posted in France, Loire Valley, Pinot Noir, Pouilly-Fume, Rosé, Sancerre, Sauvignon Blanc
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Back in time
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 … Continue reading
Posted in Chenin Blanc, France, Loire Valley, Vouvray
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Perennial favorite
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. Unfortunately our latest bottle in May of ’09 is … Continue reading
Posted in California, Chenin Blanc, France, Loire Valley, Vouvray
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Hungary Reigns
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 … Continue reading
Cab Franc – Loire Style
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 … Continue reading
Posted in Bourgueil, Cabernet Franc, Chinon, France, Loire Valley
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Bracing Wine
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 … Continue reading
Posted in Chenin Blanc, France, Loire Valley, Melon, Muscadet, Savennieres
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Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc
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 … Continue reading
Posted in France, Loire Valley, Pouilly-Fume, Sancerre
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