Bouscassé has changed a lot since the late 80s and 90s, from which I owned bottles of VV from several vintages and a whole case of the basic '97. Compared with '97, two changes are visible before tasting, namely Tannat content down to 50% from 65% and alcohol up from 13% to 14%. The changes are also apparent on the nose and palate. Both vintages were medium/full bodied and full of lively acidity but there is more ample fresh primary red and dark fruit on the '08 and less minerality, tar and leather notes and tannic backbone. The '08 in its 8th year is undoubtedly more open and easier drinking than was the '97, a forward year for its decade, but I like my Madiran to be somewhat severe and challenging and in need of age. This is undoubtedly a clean and technically well made wine and good+ of its kind but I can't help feeling that there has been some dumbing down and loss of Madiran typicity in order to render the wine accessible sooner with possibly a sacrifice of ultimate potential.
2012 Domaine de Courteillac - France, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Supérieur (5/19/2016)
This bottle is the best of the three purchased. I now think that the first bottle was mildly flawed as the improvement is more than I would expect from about 7 months passage of time. The nose was well developed with dark fruit and a touch of leather. The same aromas replayed on the medium/full bodied palate with the quite rich fruit prevented from cloying by fresh acidity and with now ripe tannic backbone giving an overall rich but lively impression which would not disgrace a St.Émilion GC costing at least the double. I will search for more bottles.
2012 Alphonse Mellot Sancerre Le Fort - France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Sancerre (5/20/2016)
Like yesterday's Courteillac this was the best of three bottles. Though the palate remains quite small, the aromas on both nose and palate have opened up and are attractive, quite complex and refined with some underlying roundness, fresh acidity and backbone. Good wine and at c.€12 must be one of the cheapest from A.Mellot around.
2009 Fattoria di Fèlsina Berardenga Chianti Classico - Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG (5/23/2016)
I'm surprised that in a reputedly ripe and sometimes jammy vintage, Fèlsina managed to produce this medium/light bodied and elegant result with pretty sour cherry infused fruit, light minerals and fresh acidity. The earth, tangy leather and backbone which I often find in this basic CC bottling were little in evidence. Good but not what I was expecting.
2004 Mas Jullien Coteaux du Languedoc - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Coteaux du Languedoc (5/24/2016)
Another very good vintage from Mas Jullien, perhaps my favourite Languedoc estate. Although fresher and more youthful seeming that my last excellent bottles of '98 and '00, it shared their medium/full body and harmony with some lovely red fruit, cherry and strawberry, slight Balsamic notes, minerals, Mediterranean herbs and gentle backbone, all beautifully integrated and singing eloquently. Alas my stocks of mature Mas Jullien are almost gone. Very good.
2004 Yannick Amirault Bourgueil La Petite Cave - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Bourgueil (5/25/2016)
A few years ago a bottle of this wine was tight and tannic. It has certainly opened up by now but still seems quite youthful. Colour quite dense with little bricking. Nose mainly on notes of quite sharp berry fruit, minerals and graphite. Palate medium+ bodied, quite discreet on entry but builds up and deepens on mid-palate and towards the medium length finish showing a gracious face of the berry fruit, some old-fashioned noble greenness (deplored by some but not by me when in moderation like here), more graphite and minerals with still fresh acidity and firm structure. Yannick Amirault seeks ripeness in his wines; sometimes I think he overdoes it but not here where the overall result combines liveliness, elegance and some depth. Very good.
2015 Domaine de la Pépière (Marc Ollivier) Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Sur Lie - France, Loire Valley, Pays Nantais, Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine (5/27/2016)
This is delicious Muscadet. Medium/light bodied, fresh green fruit with a lot of citrus but very pure like spring water with just a hint of sea breeze, lively minerals and acidity with no astringency, some grip and a hint of underlying roundness which may be a vintage effect but I don't know the cuvée well enough to be sure. Good+.
2003 Domaine Auguste Clape Cornas - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas (5/29/2016)
An exceptionally rich and ripe Cornas with deep colour, of course, nose of sweet red and dark fruit and rare meat, full/medium bodied palate, mouth-filling and complex with rich ripe fruit, sweeter than usual, velvety texture, hints of leather and spice, plenty of acidity for balance and a backbone of ripe tannins. The Rhône specialist who introduced me to most of my favourite producers in the region claims that Clape's Cornas was the best N.Rhône wine in the contrasted 2002 and 2003 vintages and I can well believe it. Excellent.
2014 Famille Amirault-Grosbois Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil Les Boissieres - France, Loire Valley, Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil (6/2/2016)
I prefer this to the bottle of Taluau's equivalent which I opened a few days ago. Medium bodied, gracious fruit with no leafiness, fine minerals, moreish acidity and enough grippy structure to support the finish. A repeat purchase at €7 is called for. Good+.
2002 Elian Da Ros Côtes du Marmandais Clos Baquey - France, Southwest France, Côtes du Marmandais (6/5/2016)
I think that this was the best of the three bottles I bought. Deep red colour and well developed nose of rich red fruit and some minerals. The palate was full/medium bodied and quite concentrated showing more rich red fruit with a splash of port towards the finish, made more complex by minerals and hints of spice and leather and enlivened by still bright acidity. The finish was well supported by discreet ripe tannins and length and lingering flavours seemed even better than with previous bottles. Would be an excellent ringer in a blind line-up of good Grand Cru St.Émilions. Very good indeed. I hope the caviste has more bottles.
2013 William Fèvre Petit Chablis - France, Burgundy, Chablis, Petit Chablis (6/8/2016)
Pale colour with green tint. Discreet nose. Medium/light bodied palate with nice purity of lightly citrus fruit showing attractive minerality and crisp acidity with a slightly raw saline finish. Good wine and quite good QPR for Chablis at c.€10.
2013 Denis Bardon Val de Loire Les Damnés - France, Loire Valley, Val de Loire (6/10/2016)
I am a fan of Pineau d'Aunis made in N.Touraine (e.g. Bellivière, Patrice Colin and Maisons Rouges estates) for its raspberry and sour cherry fruit, flinty minerals and lively acidity on a lightish body. This one from further south in the Cher valley added slightly deeper colour, slightly sweeter fruit and underlying gras to make an extremely attractive wine. Very good.
2011 Château La Louvière Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (6/11/2016)
An attractive medium bodied dry white Bordeaux showing lively round fruit with grapefruit, gooseberry and that touch of pineapple which together with a caressing texture often accompanies barrel fermentation skilfully done, which I guess happened here. Add to that some underlying gras, minerals, moreish acidity and backbone and we have a very good wine and at €14 excellent QPR for Pessac-Léognan.
Posted from CellarTracker
. I missed that event at Bourgueil where these same two were both showing their wines; rotten weather that weekend which discouraged us from doing the 550km round trip 
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