by Ray Johnson | Oct 15, 2008 | Champagne, Chardonnay, France, Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir, Sparkling Lightly Sweet
Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin, Champagne, Demi-Sec nv There are floral and candy notes to smell while the mouth has a smooth fruitiness accented by the touch of RS. The grapes behind this wine are 55% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay and 15% Pinot Meunier. Elabore a Reims 12%...
by Ray Johnson | Oct 15, 2008 | Champagne, Chardonnay, France, Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir, Sparkling Dry
Nicolas Feuillatte, Champagne, Brut nv There’s a fruity, round expression to this bubbly. The house delivers moderate but fairly priced concentration for Champagne, as most multi-vintage blends have crept toward $40 and beyond. The grapes are 40% Pinot Noir, 40%...
by Ray Johnson | Oct 8, 2008 | Bordeaux, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, California, Dry Creek Valley, France, Haut-Medoc, Merlot, Sonoma County
Chateau Sociando-Mallet, Haut-Medoc 2004 The smells are a mix of earth, cedar, toasty oak and a fitting amount of the barnyard. The mouth if full of plummy fruit with grip. This is definitely leaner and tighter than the ’05 which is quite seductive already. Give...
by Ray Johnson | Oct 8, 2008 | Aperitif, Charente, France
Gaston Rivière, Pineau des Charentes, Pineau François 1er, White Pineau nv This has the taste and smell of Cognac and grape juice and follows-on from its creation. The grapes are old vine Colombard, fortified with minimum one year old Cognac added to the must after...
by Ray Johnson | Oct 8, 2008 | Bordeaux, France, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon
Chateau Guiraud, Bordeaux Blanc Sec, Le G de Chateau Guiraud 2006 This vintage is pretty hard to love in that the smell is all minerality and solvent notes. There’s viscosity and acidity but flavor? Sourced from vines with an average age of 15 years, planted 70%...
by Ray Johnson | Oct 1, 2008 | Cinsault, Cotes du Rhone, France, Grenache, Rosé, Tavel
Château du Ségriès, Tavel 2007 The ’06 was a solid, fruity wine and the 07 repeats that performance. The nose is clean and full of red fruits. The mouth is full-bodied and a little warm. You also get a sense of red wine with a bit of grip on the palate. The...
