I believe that this is the same wine destined for the Belgian market as is called Fabelhaft for the German market. Based on my TN of the 2013 Fabelhaft, it is indeed quite similar. It is medium bodied showing lively red fruit with a porty edge, spice, minerals and fresh mouth-watering acidity finishing off with nice gently saline grip. Good
2011 Château Ramafort - France, Bordeaux, Médoc (8/5/2017)
I liked this bottle less than the previous partly because, following on the remainder of a lively and seemingly oak free Niepoort Allez Santé, its suave vanilla and tobacco patina appeared very prominent. There also was a quite pleasing leathery touch which I didn't note before. Still good wine though and worth buying in spite of its price having gone up nearly a couple of € after the Foires aux Vins.
2013 Domaine Dupasquier Vin de Savoie Mondeuse - France, Savoie, Vin de Savoie (8/7/2017)
Quite lightly and transparently coloured and medium- bodied at most, this wine delighted with its pepper sprinkled savoury complexioned sour cherry fruit, lively minerals and acidity and persistent flavour. Some kinship with a lighter N.Rhône with a pepper jar spilled into it. Good+.
2009 Château Beau-Site - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe (8/8/2017)
This surprised me by its generosity, fullness and relatively youthful accessibility, all probably due to the vintage. Quite black colour and open nose with aromas of of sweet red and dark fruit lined with cedar. Full/medium palate with quite rich fruit replaying the aromas from the nose, some depth, suave texture, decent acidity with firm ripe tannins on the finish. There was enough noble greenness in spite of the ripeness to root this in the Médoc and not just anywhere. No reason why this should not go on for many years and probably acquire more subtlety. Very good wine and great QPR at c.€14 in last year's Foire aux Vins at Intermarché.
2012 Pieropan Soave Classico - Italy, Veneto, Soave Classico (8/9/2017)
Medium- bodied with attractive citrus tinged fruit, minerality and a bitter touch adding firmness to the finish. Quite good and pleasant drinking but disappointing in relation to the producer's reputation and the price c.€15.
2014 Miguel Torres Rioja Altos Ibéricos Crianza - Spain, La Rioja, Rioja (8/10/2017)
Better than I expected with medium body, round cherry type fruit with a touch of orange peel, fair acidity, slightly confected aromas, some vanilla but none of the overwhelming oak which I feared and soft barely detectable tannins. Quite good.
2007 Domaine Huet Vouvray Sec Le Mont - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray (8/13/2017)
As nearly always with late Pinguet era sec, this was not bone dry but was given a subjectively dry impression by brilliant mouth-watering acidity. It was medium bodied and beautifully focussed showing quite rich fruit exuding aromas of wax, white fruit, quince and minerals and supported by some honey tinged gras and saline backbone leading to a quite long finish. Perhaps more tender than in some vontages, it went beautifully with sea bass and assorted goat cheeses. Very good.
2016 Domaine Saint André de Figuière Côtes de Provence Rosalie - France, Provence, Côtes de Provence (8/14/2017)
The owner of this estate was a regular visitor to a nearby caviste when I was living in Belgium. I used to enjoy their Vieilles Vignes rosé made principally from Mourvèdre which had some backbone and complexity. However the names of their range seem to have changed. This Rosalie does not equal my memories but it is easy drinking with fresh citrus fruit, some rose petal notes, pepper and decent acidity. Quite good but highly priced, c.€12, for the amount of pleasure.
2013 Denis Bardon Val de Loire Les Damnés - France, Loire Valley, Val de Loire (8/15/2017)
I initially served this Pineau d'Aunis derived wine close to cellar temperature thinking that probably best for a lightish red but it is undeniable that two or three degrees extra during the meal brought out reserves of roundness and complexity to add to the invigorating mineral and pepper infused rasberry and sour cherry fruit. Elegant and very good.
2014 Laura Semeria Cour-Cheverny Plénitude - France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Cour-Cheverny (8/16/2017)
18 months on this Romorantin derived wine remains a very attractively mineral and citrus fruited wine but I sense a loss of vibrancy and tension without yet an increase in complexity. Good.
2015 Domaine René Ours Côtes du Rhône Villages Valréas - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône Villages Valréas (8/17/2017)
Medium/full bodied with quite rich raspberry and bramble infused fruit, decent acidity and backbone with a streak especially on the nose of anise mixed with quinine and orange peel which may appeal to others more than it did to me. But good wine and fair QPR at €7.
2015 Domaine Mittnacht Freres-Vignerons Riesling "Les Fossiles" - France, Alsace (8/18/2017)
I was right in my view that this needed to be drunk in the first flush of youth. Less than a year on, it has lost bloom and fragrance with acidity more prominent. Now an agreeable drink but no more.
