This is an absolutely delicious quaff full of fruit (raspberry, black currant mainly), minerals and touches of spice with tangy acidity, medium/light body and light structure supporting decent length. Best, IMO, at cellar temperature. Good++.
2015 Domaine du Chêne Vert Reuilly Cuvée Marius Jacob - France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Reuilly (11/4/2016)
A nice refreshing and robust Reuilly with typically SB fruit of grapefruit and gooseberry, minerals and a touch of rusticity which may diminish with a little time. Less refined and pure tasting than the Saint-Bris which was my previous SB based wine. Good with mussels.
1995 Dominique Laurent Pommard 1er Cru Les Charmots - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Pommard 1er Cru (11/5/2016)
From memory, confirmed by notes, I found this bottle fresher than the previous about 18 months ago. Colour lightish red with less rust tints than before. Nose quite discreet showing typically attractive PN cherry aromas with a kirsch tinge. The medium bodied palate showed mature PN fruit and suave texture together with still lively acidity and residual firmness on the decently long finish. This bottle, alas my last, had plenty of life left and maybe even improvement potential. Very good.
2012 Château Bellevue La Forêt Fronton - France, Southwest France, Fronton (11/6/2016)
First impressions very favourable with medium+ body, attractive red and dark fruit with a rose tinge, minerals and a slightly rubbery soft bitterness towards the finish which appealed at first and then became tiring. This is partly due to the Négrette grape although dumbed down here with CabSauv & Franc and Syrah as allowed by the appellation rules. However I have had 100% Négette wines which are better balanced. Just good.
NV Waitrose in partnership with Emilio Lustau Jerez-Xérès-Sherry Solera Jerezana Palo Cortado - Spain, Andalucía, Jerez-Xérès-Sherry (11/7/2016)
It's a long time since I tasted a Palo Cortado. Indeed in an archive at least 10 years deep, I can only find one TN. So I am relying on memory when I say that I have had finer than this one, very good though this is. Appropriately dark black tinged gold colour but not quite to the same extent as Oloroso. Nose perhaps the best feature but hard to describe; varnished candied fruit with no sweetness and a bitter touch is very inadequate to give an idea of its appeal. The palate was quite full bodied, dry and strongly flavoured with more of the aromas and flavours from the nose, a burnished note which suggested sweetness which wasn't there, minerals, nuts, a whiff of tar, a pinch of salt and a strong and long finish with an appealing slightly salty bitterness. This is a complex and classy wine, quite distinct in style and a good pairing for Stilton cheese, which overwhelms most wines other than port. I have about half the bottle left and will probably revert with a PS.
PS 11/9/2016 - More suave and integrated with no signs yet of loss of bloom.
2015 Les Vignerons du Vallon Marcillac Les Crestes - France, Southwest France, Marcillac (11/8/2016)
A nice joyful quaff full of bright Marcillac fruit, minerals and fresh tangy acidity perhaps slightly riper than the 2014 Lo Sang del Pais, which is also delicious.
2013 Les Arpents du Soleil Vert Olive (Connivence) - France, Normandy (11/10/2016)
I was not expecting a lot of this blend of "chardonnay", "sauvignon", "melon de Bourgogne" & "Muller-Thurgau" made by a neighbouring vigneron (the only one in Normandy AFAIK) but in the event it proved my favourite among his whites (his red from Pinot Noir is IMO his best wine). This is an appealing medium/light bodied and dry combination of fruity fragrance and crisp minerality. The fruit is mainly quite fine citrus leaning toward lime, the minerals add finesse and the acidity is lively giving some backbone. There is just a touch of ointment towards the quite long finish which I would prefer to do without. Good.
2015 Domaine Trouillet Pouilly-Fuissé - France, Burgundy, Mâconnais, Pouilly-Fuissé (11/12/2016)
Not bone dry but subjectively dry because of mouth watering acidity bringing balance, intense saline minerality and backbone to the medium body, round creamy undertow and mainly citrus fruit of this Pouilly-Fuissé. Of similar quality but perhaps fuller and sweeter than the 2014. A repeat purchase beckons if not sold out. Good+.
2007 Domaine de l'Oratoire St Martin Côtes du Rhône Villages Cairanne Cuvée Prestige - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône Villages Cairanne (11/13/2016)
This is the best wine which I have so far had of the "Prestige" cuvée (Grenache & Mourvèdre) in spite of the 2007 vintage which I have often found over-ripe and alcoholic. Colour still quite primary. Nose expressive with red fruit, particularly strawberry and raspberry, and a touch of liquorice. Palate was full/medium bodied replaying the attractively fresh red and dark fruit and adding mineral touches, delicious leather (the brett paranoid be warned), a little spice, more liquorice, surprisingly fresh acidity for the region and decent tannic structure supporting the quite long finish but mercifully no alcohol burn (14%). Very good.
1993 Domaine Maume Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Lavaux St. Jacques - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru (11/14/2016)
I repeat much of my previous TN, namely medium/full bodied and linear palate showing bright Pinot fruit with a savoury tinge, grainy minerals, ivy, a little leather, very lively acidity, good tannic backbone and a long finish. However, the strange thing is that the rusty metallic streak now appears on the nose and the palate is rounder, cleaner and more elegant while retaining virility. Very good.
2011 Cap Wines Douro Quinta do Malhô - Portugal, Douro (11/15/2016)
This is another example of a wine where I find the first sniff and sip impressive but where I rapidly tire of the jammy fruit, thick texture, high alcohol (15%), harsh dry notes in the tannins and above all international anonymity. The wine could come from anywhere and from any grape with no discernible terroir or varietal character. Such a shame from a distinguished region like the Douro. It's not impossible that some age would bring out more individuality but I'm not volunteering a repeat investment to find out.
Posted from CellarTracker
