. So I haven’t been posting much and have some catching up to do. Last night’s Cornas (last post below) helps me to see things in a more positive way 
.2014 Domaine Cauhapé Jurançon Sec Tourbillon - France, Southwest France, Jurançon Sec (6/16/2016)
Better integrated and less SB-like than my first bottle and the rest of the description applies. Bursting with citrus fruit, especially grapefruit, with exotic fruit, mango and passion fruit, lively acidity, gently bitter backbone and less minerality and complexity than most Jurançon but that may be a function of youth. Fun to drink. Repeat purchase called for. Good+.
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2014 Domaine de la Pépière (Marc Ollivier) Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Sur Lie Vieilles Vignes Clos des Briords - France, Loire Valley, Pays Nantais, Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine (6/17/2016)
Zippy and refreshing with medium/light body, lots of lemon and lime, complex minerals, crisp but non-astringent acidity and saline spine making a great pairing for giant shrimps and baby crabs. Pépière connoisseurs say that this cuvée develops greater complexity with time but, as yet, I lack the experience to confirm. Good+.
2000 Aurelio Settimo Barolo Rocche - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo (6/18/2016)
I drank a delicious bottle of this in 2011 at a stage when Galloni had already pronounced that the 2000s were fading. 5 years on there are still no signs of fading here and indeed the only significant change to my then TN concerns tamer tannins. Colour was not very deep with some bricking. The nose was very expressive with floral (rose, violet), mineral, tar and anise components. The palate was medium/full bodied and quite long with still some primary fruit, good depth and quite intense flavours similar to those from the nose coupled an attractive matt texture, lively acidity and tannic structure now softer than before. I see no need for hurry in opening my remaining bottle. Excellent.
2012 Château de Fesles Anjou Vieilles Vignes La Chapelle - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Anjou (6/20/2016)
I was not previously aware of this dry Anjou chenin cuvée from Château de Fesles. It is very good, IMO better than much Savennières, and well worth a revisit. A citrus nose with a touch of apricot and wax. A medium + bodied harmonious palate with some underlying gras, fresh primary fruit, grainy minerals, a hint of spice and tobacco leaf, lively acidity and decent length with backbone. Very good.
2010 Domaine du Cros (Philippe Teulier) Marcillac Les Rougiers - France, Southwest France, Marcillac (6/21/2016)
Have you guys ever had the experience of having your enjoyment of a wine spoilt by grimaces from the other side of the table and hearing "I think this wine is corked"? What I got was medium body with a certain depth and roundness, tangy red fruit with a lot of red currant, ivy, grainy minerals, perhaps the beginnings of some forest floor, moreish acidity and grippily decent length. However a lot of my time was spent trying to detect traces of TCA; perhaps she was misled by the hints of forest floor; the heel taps this morning are still smelling clean. I think that this is an 89 or 90 wine but I will postpone rating till the second bottle.
2001 Marchesi Mazzei Chianti Classico Castello di Fonterutoli - Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG (6/22/2016)
This bottle was more evolved than I was expecting in its 15th year with signs of coming oxidation in the form of musty cabbage like and port aromas, particularly on the nose. However in the medium/full bodied palate these notes were pushed into the background and added complexity to rich mature red fruit with forest floor, some Tuscan tang, smooth acidity and some residual backbone. Still enjoyable but I'll drink up my remaining bottle soon.
2012 Domaine Richaud Côtes du Rhône Villages Cairanne - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône Villages Cairanne (6/23/2016)
Richaud is a magician. This basic Cairanne bottling was elegant and delicious with medium body, delicate fruit infused with sweet cherry, complex spices, fresh acidity and ripe backbone. The 14% alcohol does not obtrude making this insidiously moreish. Very Good.
2014 François Chidaine Montlouis-sur-Loire Les Bournais - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Montlouis-sur-Loire (6/25/2016)
I wouldn't normally open a Montlouis of this calibre so early in its life but I couldn't resist taking a look at this new purchase. Colour showed light gold tints. The nose was expressive with mineral elements as strong as white fruit; at this stage there was little wax and quince and no honey. The medium+ bodied palate was quite dry showing good nerve and tension with underlying gras developing as the wine warmed up, lively fruit, replay of the aromas from nose, fine minerals, lively acidity, slightly saline backbone and good length. I am sure that this wine will develop more complexity and justify a higher score a few years down the line, provided that the premox bullet is avoided. Kudos to Chidaine for the sweetness scale on the back label, which shows this cuvée just a notch on the dry side of tendre. Very good.
2013 Domaine Le Roc Fronton La Folle Noire d'Ambat - France, Southwest France, Fronton (6/26/2016)
As bottle 9 months ago, velvety texture, cherry tinged fruit, earthy and typically slightly bitter finish. Good+.
2013 Château Tour de Bonnet Bordeaux - France, Bordeaux (6/27/2016)
This is an enjoyable entry level Bordeaux and good QPR at €4. Medium bodied at most, attractive red fruit, a little spice and minerals, fresh acidity with some grip on the finish together with a discreet tobacco like patina, which I would normally associate with barrique ageing, but is that likely at this price point? Chips? Not allowed in AOP wines, I think?
2014 Château de Coulaine Chinon - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Chinon (6/28/2016)
This is delicious. Like the 2013 medium- bodied,nice fresh red fruit, grainy minerals with hints of pepper and leather but more elegant with the fruit having a slightly sweeter tinge, the lively acidity being more gracious and in better balance and there are additional notes of complexity in the form of grilled meat. I guess that it will never be better than now though the 2010 was still drinking very well in its 4th year. Very good
.1999 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (7/3/2016)
This bottle seemed more acidic than the lovely one 18 months ago. This may be a function of the pairing, lamb shank smeared with honey. Otherwise the previous description still applies and still very good.
PS: Sniffing the bottle this morning, I'm wondering if there is not a bit of VA coming out.
2012 Château des Peyregrandes Faugères - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Faugères (7/4/2016)
Nice vigorous Faugères, full of brambly fruit, garrigue herbs and spices, hints of liquorice, decent acidity and a rustic tang on the finish. Good.
2015 Château Sainte Roseline Côtes de Provence Rosé Le Cloître de Sainte Roseline Cru Classé - France, Provence, Côtes de Provence (7/7/2016)
A robust and lively rosé with very pale colour, well developed nose, fresh fruit, earthy minerals and lively moreish acidity. Good.
2015 Château Tour de Bonnet Bordeaux Rosé - France, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Rosé (7/8/2016)
Less good than the red and white with rather synthetic tasting boiled sweet aromas.
2014 Domaine Cauhapé Jurançon Sec Tourbillon - France, Southwest France, Jurançon Sec (7/9/2016)
There was a strange pasty after-taste which I didn't note on the 16th June bottle and which I might have taken for TCA if the closure were not Nomacorc. Caution indicated with repeat purchases in case all bottles are evolving this way.
1996 Thierry Allemand Cornas Reynard - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas (7/10/2016)
This was a great bottle of Cornas. Deep colour with rust tints especially during pour. Expressive nose of sour cherry, violets, grilled meat, rusty metal, earthy minerals, varnish and wet leather. Full/medium bodied palate still burgeoning but mature fruit replaying the aromas from the nose, roundness and depth with lively acidity and gentle but firm backbone with now discreet tannins. Excellent.
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