2018 Domaine de la Grange des Pères Pays d'Hérault: Super good -- smoky, dark-fruited, and briny on the palate, but also a hint of tobacco and leather. I did a little research and found out it is a blend of 40% Syrah, 40% Mourvedre, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Counoise. Texturally quite silky and the tannins were not particularly drying or astringent at this point. A hint of peppery spice on the finish.
2018 Domaine de la Grange des Pères Pays d'Hérault Blanc: This was very excellent. Quite expressively floral on the nose. Oily and textured on the palate like a lot of southern French whites (80% Roussanne, 10% Marsanne, 10% Chardonnay) and despite being quite tropical on the palate, it is balanced with surprisingly lively acidity.
2019 Mazière Grenache: Served blind. Slightly volatile on the nose, but no over-the-top nail polish remover aromas. Dark, plummy nose with a palate that is equally dark-fruited, lifted, and smoky with a spicy finish spiked with the volatile acidity (but in a pleasing way). I initially guessed Syrah, but it turned out to be Grenache (perhaps with some Grenache Blanc and Gris thrown in). Definitely not very Grenache-like blind, but fun and natty AF.
2010 Eric Texier St. Joseph Vieilles Vignes La Croix: Elegant, red-fruited, with a hit of smoked meat, pepperiness, and salt on the finish. Tannins seemed surprisingly resolved already. Quite refreshing and silky. A very nice wine.
2022 Domain Faury Le Mornieux Condrieu: Classic floral Condrieu nose with some peach and a touch of honey. Oiliness on the midpalate with some spice, herbs, and oak on the finish. Some unresolved oak tannins pricking the side of my mouth. This could use some more freshness and acidity.
2020 Alain Graillot La Guiraude Crozes-Hermitage: Expressive floral and ripe dark cherry notes on the nose, with perhaps a touch of VA. The palate is quite juicy with decent acidity, with classic smoked meat and brine on the finish. Tannins are drying, but not harsh. This is definitely a ripe wine that is a bit heavier bodied than I would like, but it is approachable and tasty.
2019 Jean-Claude Marsanne St. Joseph: The nose is a little aromatically quiet, with subtle hints of cherry and florals and smokiness. On the palate, the alcohol is quite prominent and there’s a spike of heat. Very ripe fruit flavors and a palate that feels very polished and velvety and a bit heavy. Luckily, the wine has acidity and some smoked meat and pepper notes, but this is a bit too ponderous for me.
2020 Lionnet Terre Brulee Cornas: Some floral notes on the nose. A very supple, velvety palate that still has good acidity, a bit of spicy, black pepper on the finish. However, the dark fruit feels weirdly austere and subdued, yet somehow monolithic and one-note without any interesting smoked meat, olive, or other non-fruit flavors to provide complexity. Tannins are also quite firm. An odd showing.
2021 Levet Les Journaries Cote-Rotie: The nose is absolutely gorgeous, with intense violet floral notes that carry onto the silky, elegant palate, suffused with a subtle dark fruit. Despite the tannins being a touch drying, there is very good freshness, excellent minerality, and a subtle pepper, brine, and smokiness on the finish. Tremendous delicacy and finesse.
2018 Guigal Hermitage: Some florals, but also a toastiness on the nose. There’s a lot of sweet, dark fruit on the palate, but it’s encased in oaky vanilla. You can still taste smoked meat and pepper with a hint of olive, and the acidity is sufficient, but the veneer of oak is overwhelming.
2023 Matassa Coume de l'Olla Blanc: A skin-contact orange wine consisting of Muscat Blanc a Petit Grain, Muscat D’Alexandrie and Macabeu. An expressive nose of mango and papaya that is quite tropical on a palate, though laced with herbs and and a firm mineral presence. Juicy and fresh, it has this orange Kool-Aid thing going on -- citrusy, slightly peachy, yet fruit punchy. Quite light and delicate on the palate with a touch of subtle, drying tannins on the finish.
2023 Matassa Côtes Catalanes Cuvée Marguerite: Another skin-contact orange wine that is a blend of Muscat d’Alexandrie, Muscat Petit Grain, Macabeu, and Viognier. The nose here is a little more understated than the Olla Blanc, a touch earthier/funkier with a subtle top-note of passionfruit. The palate, while tropical and ripe, is also more complex and lifted, the acidity lending a refreshing, mouth-watering presence in the mid-palate that carries into an herbal finish that has gentle, drying tannins.
2023 Matassa Tattouine Rouge: A blend of Grenache Gris and Carignan from 90-year old vines grown on red schist. Whole cluster, four week maceration than pressed and racked in 2500L foudre for aging. Easy-going, crunchy, dark fruit on the palate. Light-bodied, with firm acidity, astringent (though approachable) tannins, and a nice herbal, bitter finish.
2023 Matassa Tommy Ferriol Rouge: A co-ferment of Syrah, Muscat d’Alexandrie, and Muscat Blanc a Petit Grain. Whole cluster, four-day maceration, pressed and racked into fiberglass for aging. Floral, peachy nose (I’m guessing from the Muscat), while the palate is texturally round with a silky mouthfeel. Darker, black currant fruit with a hint of smokiness on the finish. A nice glou-glou wine.
2018 Domaine de la Grange des Pères Pays d'Hérault Blanc: This was very excellent. Quite expressively floral on the nose. Oily and textured on the palate like a lot of southern French whites (80% Roussanne, 10% Marsanne, 10% Chardonnay) and despite being quite tropical on the palate, it is balanced with surprisingly lively acidity.
2019 Mazière Grenache: Served blind. Slightly volatile on the nose, but no over-the-top nail polish remover aromas. Dark, plummy nose with a palate that is equally dark-fruited, lifted, and smoky with a spicy finish spiked with the volatile acidity (but in a pleasing way). I initially guessed Syrah, but it turned out to be Grenache (perhaps with some Grenache Blanc and Gris thrown in). Definitely not very Grenache-like blind, but fun and natty AF.
2010 Eric Texier St. Joseph Vieilles Vignes La Croix: Elegant, red-fruited, with a hit of smoked meat, pepperiness, and salt on the finish. Tannins seemed surprisingly resolved already. Quite refreshing and silky. A very nice wine.
2022 Domain Faury Le Mornieux Condrieu: Classic floral Condrieu nose with some peach and a touch of honey. Oiliness on the midpalate with some spice, herbs, and oak on the finish. Some unresolved oak tannins pricking the side of my mouth. This could use some more freshness and acidity.
2020 Alain Graillot La Guiraude Crozes-Hermitage: Expressive floral and ripe dark cherry notes on the nose, with perhaps a touch of VA. The palate is quite juicy with decent acidity, with classic smoked meat and brine on the finish. Tannins are drying, but not harsh. This is definitely a ripe wine that is a bit heavier bodied than I would like, but it is approachable and tasty.
2019 Jean-Claude Marsanne St. Joseph: The nose is a little aromatically quiet, with subtle hints of cherry and florals and smokiness. On the palate, the alcohol is quite prominent and there’s a spike of heat. Very ripe fruit flavors and a palate that feels very polished and velvety and a bit heavy. Luckily, the wine has acidity and some smoked meat and pepper notes, but this is a bit too ponderous for me.
2020 Lionnet Terre Brulee Cornas: Some floral notes on the nose. A very supple, velvety palate that still has good acidity, a bit of spicy, black pepper on the finish. However, the dark fruit feels weirdly austere and subdued, yet somehow monolithic and one-note without any interesting smoked meat, olive, or other non-fruit flavors to provide complexity. Tannins are also quite firm. An odd showing.
2021 Levet Les Journaries Cote-Rotie: The nose is absolutely gorgeous, with intense violet floral notes that carry onto the silky, elegant palate, suffused with a subtle dark fruit. Despite the tannins being a touch drying, there is very good freshness, excellent minerality, and a subtle pepper, brine, and smokiness on the finish. Tremendous delicacy and finesse.
2018 Guigal Hermitage: Some florals, but also a toastiness on the nose. There’s a lot of sweet, dark fruit on the palate, but it’s encased in oaky vanilla. You can still taste smoked meat and pepper with a hint of olive, and the acidity is sufficient, but the veneer of oak is overwhelming.
2023 Matassa Coume de l'Olla Blanc: A skin-contact orange wine consisting of Muscat Blanc a Petit Grain, Muscat D’Alexandrie and Macabeu. An expressive nose of mango and papaya that is quite tropical on a palate, though laced with herbs and and a firm mineral presence. Juicy and fresh, it has this orange Kool-Aid thing going on -- citrusy, slightly peachy, yet fruit punchy. Quite light and delicate on the palate with a touch of subtle, drying tannins on the finish.
2023 Matassa Côtes Catalanes Cuvée Marguerite: Another skin-contact orange wine that is a blend of Muscat d’Alexandrie, Muscat Petit Grain, Macabeu, and Viognier. The nose here is a little more understated than the Olla Blanc, a touch earthier/funkier with a subtle top-note of passionfruit. The palate, while tropical and ripe, is also more complex and lifted, the acidity lending a refreshing, mouth-watering presence in the mid-palate that carries into an herbal finish that has gentle, drying tannins.
2023 Matassa Tattouine Rouge: A blend of Grenache Gris and Carignan from 90-year old vines grown on red schist. Whole cluster, four week maceration than pressed and racked in 2500L foudre for aging. Easy-going, crunchy, dark fruit on the palate. Light-bodied, with firm acidity, astringent (though approachable) tannins, and a nice herbal, bitter finish.
2023 Matassa Tommy Ferriol Rouge: A co-ferment of Syrah, Muscat d’Alexandrie, and Muscat Blanc a Petit Grain. Whole cluster, four-day maceration, pressed and racked into fiberglass for aging. Floral, peachy nose (I’m guessing from the Muscat), while the palate is texturally round with a silky mouthfeel. Darker, black currant fruit with a hint of smokiness on the finish. A nice glou-glou wine.