2022 Domaine de l'Anglore Tavel: Beautifully explosive nose of watermelon, wild strawberries and subtle hints of flower petals. I would be happy just smelling this wine. It also has that classic seamless L'Anglore texture that is silky and spherical, with juicy red-fruit and herbal notes on the palate. Perhaps not super complex or cerebral, but a really enjoyable wine that went well with pizza and pasta. Textbook glou-glou wine.
2022 Vincent Dauvissat (René & Vincent) Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons: Pronounced lime and honeysuckle on the nose. On the palate, surprisingly round and ripe, but still light and elegant, if not quite as linear, focused, and saline as I was expecting. One person mentioned that it reminded her of key lime custard, with the citrus notes on the palate married with the wine's creamy (presumably malo-inflected) texture. With extra-time in the glass, the vanilla becomes quite pronounced. This could use more time to fully integrate (assuming it doesn't premox, which is of course a big if).
2020 Non Progredi Est Regredi (Antonio Quari) Ladoix Les Briquottes: Very nicely expressive stemmy nose of spices and strawberries. The palate was a bit darker in profile, a bit lean, tart, a little sharp, and a touch peppery (in a good way). Tannins are very subtle and not very drying or grippy, but the ample acidity gives the wine a nice lift to balance the slightly plummy dark fruit. Fun wine.
2018 Renaud Bruyère & Adeline Houillon Arbois Pupillin Chardonnay Vieilles Vignes: Initially tasted bruised apple and cider, but that cleared up pretty quickly with time in the glass, revealing a breadth and silkiness on the palate inflected with bright orchard fruit, ample, mouth-watering acidity, and just a subtle oxidative note that added extra complexity to the wine. Very elegant, with great finesse, and clean as a whistle too, with no overt natty or funky elements to it.
2019 Jean-François Ganevat Côtes du Jura Vieilles Vignes Les Chalasses: Beautifully expressive and lifted nose of lemon-lime and wet rocks. The palate has razor-sharp acidity that's balanced by the intense flavors of citrus, green fruits, and minerality. Definitely still coiled up and could use more time to unwind fully, but the high-wire tension between the intense acidity and ripeness on the palate is so enjoyable right now.
2021 Williams Selyem Chenin Blanc Limestone Ridge Vista Verde Vineyard: Served blind. Initially, when poured in the glass, I get some bruised apple and some waxiness that was a bit of a turnoff, but it rounds into form with some air and becomes tauter and tarter in profile, with a hint of saline and minerality to gird the white fruit. Perhaps a little non-descript; no one described this as a Chenin (I guessed Pinot Blanc).
1996 Edmunds St. John Les Côtes Sauvages: Sunny, dark red fruit, tannins have resolved and gotten quite silky, a hint of herbs and anise. Perhaps also a touch hot. But, nonetheless, a very nice, and very restrained. Like a Southern Rhone wine with a dash of California sun.
1985 Ch“teau L'Arrosée: Has the classic graphite, cured tobacco, and pencil shaving on the nose, but with time in the glass, there is also a hint of garrigue and cured olives like a Northern Rhone. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied, with dark fruit, suave and basically resolved tannins, and a hit of spices on the finish. Silky and pretty. A very nice Right Bank wine.
2021 Mansengs et Compagnie Jurançon Marcel: Electric acidity married with a rich blend of citrus and tropical fruit on the palate. Pure and taut. Very impressed by this producer.
2003 Roagna Barbaresco Pajè: Very ripe, a bit plummy, with not that much floral going on in the nose. Slightly anonymous, though you do get a hint of that Nebbiolo tar and earth on the palate. Tannins are very soft, but the acidity is still pretty good. Not bad, but clearly a wine from a challenging vintage. From 375.
2015 Jacques Maillet Vin de Savoie Chautagne Terroir des Pauvres: This was very delicious. Pure red fruit, slightly smoky on the palate, translucent, silky texture without any volatility or excess nattiness, though energetic and lively. Fabulous natural wine.
2018 Domaine Latour-Giraud Meursault 1er Cru Charmes: Surprisingly vibrant and tart considering the vintage. Plenty of texture and richness, but balanced with a zippy acidity and tension. Admittedly got a little flabby with time in the glass, but still quite good. Beautiful, expressive nose of floral notes and orchard fruit as well.
2022 Thomas Batardière Anjou L'Esprit Libre: Takes a little while for the nose to express itself, but get subtle hints of quince, green apples, and herbs. Very racy and edgy on the palate, but clean, with citrus and green fruit. Very linear and taut on Day 1. On Day 2, the acidity settles down and the fruit becomes more expansive and pronounced. Texturally, softer and rounder. A hint of nuttiness and cider on the palate. Still good -- interesting to see how this would evolve with bottle age.
1981 Ch“teau La Conseillante: Beautifully expressive on the nose with pencil lead, tobacco, violets, blackcurrent, and a hint of spice. Tannins are silky and resolved, a delicate weight on the palate, and nice, tart acidity framing the dark fruit, smoke, and spices on the long finish. Really elegant and delicious.
2021 Bartolo Mascarello Barbera d'Alba: Very young, but fresh, intense, and energetic. It could probably use some additional time to have the acidity settle down, but this is a fun, red-fruited, easy-drinking wine that went really well with Peking duck.
1983 Ridge Zinfandel Trentadue Ranch: This was a super-interesting wine. Lots of ash and tobacco on the finish. Dark, black fruit on the palate. I had this blind and initially guessed old-school California Cabernet. Really interesting to see this was just really old Ridge Zin. Lots of fun.
2004 Alzinger Riesling Smaragd Steinertal: Intense and rich, but with plenty of bright acidity to provide tension, keeping this wine light on its feet and spry. Fruit forward, but still dry.
2021 Daniel Sage Prospérité de l'entreprise: Nice wine. Definitely funky and a little sweaty, but there was purity to the fruit and a seamlessness to the wine. Definitely natty, but quite enjoyable. Very interesting.
2021 Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Vosne-Romanée: This rocked. The tannins and acidity are at a very approachable place right now. Good tension and intensity on the palate, yet texturally silky and light-footed. A hint of spice, florals, and red cherry on the nose. Just a very pretty wine.
2014 Domaine des Cavarodes (Etienne Thiébaud) Côtes du Jura Rouge Les Lumachelles: This was lovely. A bit of barnyard and funk on the nose, but not overwhelmingly so. Lighter bodied, but beautiful red fruit and great acidity. Another great showing from this producer.
2006 Le Piane Boca: Wow, this wine is surprisingly tight and burly. Extremely tannic on the finish, and just gets more astringent with time in the glass. This needs at least 10 years, if not longer.
2001 Müller-Catoir Mußbacher Eselshaut Riesling Auslese: Intense and ripe, yet also elegant and light on its feet. Texturally round with well-integrated acidity and a restrained sweetness. Just a touch tertiary to add a little complexity. Utterly glorious. From 375.
2022 Vincent Dauvissat (René & Vincent) Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons: Pronounced lime and honeysuckle on the nose. On the palate, surprisingly round and ripe, but still light and elegant, if not quite as linear, focused, and saline as I was expecting. One person mentioned that it reminded her of key lime custard, with the citrus notes on the palate married with the wine's creamy (presumably malo-inflected) texture. With extra-time in the glass, the vanilla becomes quite pronounced. This could use more time to fully integrate (assuming it doesn't premox, which is of course a big if).
2020 Non Progredi Est Regredi (Antonio Quari) Ladoix Les Briquottes: Very nicely expressive stemmy nose of spices and strawberries. The palate was a bit darker in profile, a bit lean, tart, a little sharp, and a touch peppery (in a good way). Tannins are very subtle and not very drying or grippy, but the ample acidity gives the wine a nice lift to balance the slightly plummy dark fruit. Fun wine.
2018 Renaud Bruyère & Adeline Houillon Arbois Pupillin Chardonnay Vieilles Vignes: Initially tasted bruised apple and cider, but that cleared up pretty quickly with time in the glass, revealing a breadth and silkiness on the palate inflected with bright orchard fruit, ample, mouth-watering acidity, and just a subtle oxidative note that added extra complexity to the wine. Very elegant, with great finesse, and clean as a whistle too, with no overt natty or funky elements to it.
2019 Jean-François Ganevat Côtes du Jura Vieilles Vignes Les Chalasses: Beautifully expressive and lifted nose of lemon-lime and wet rocks. The palate has razor-sharp acidity that's balanced by the intense flavors of citrus, green fruits, and minerality. Definitely still coiled up and could use more time to unwind fully, but the high-wire tension between the intense acidity and ripeness on the palate is so enjoyable right now.
2021 Williams Selyem Chenin Blanc Limestone Ridge Vista Verde Vineyard: Served blind. Initially, when poured in the glass, I get some bruised apple and some waxiness that was a bit of a turnoff, but it rounds into form with some air and becomes tauter and tarter in profile, with a hint of saline and minerality to gird the white fruit. Perhaps a little non-descript; no one described this as a Chenin (I guessed Pinot Blanc).
1996 Edmunds St. John Les Côtes Sauvages: Sunny, dark red fruit, tannins have resolved and gotten quite silky, a hint of herbs and anise. Perhaps also a touch hot. But, nonetheless, a very nice, and very restrained. Like a Southern Rhone wine with a dash of California sun.
1985 Ch“teau L'Arrosée: Has the classic graphite, cured tobacco, and pencil shaving on the nose, but with time in the glass, there is also a hint of garrigue and cured olives like a Northern Rhone. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied, with dark fruit, suave and basically resolved tannins, and a hit of spices on the finish. Silky and pretty. A very nice Right Bank wine.
2021 Mansengs et Compagnie Jurançon Marcel: Electric acidity married with a rich blend of citrus and tropical fruit on the palate. Pure and taut. Very impressed by this producer.
2003 Roagna Barbaresco Pajè: Very ripe, a bit plummy, with not that much floral going on in the nose. Slightly anonymous, though you do get a hint of that Nebbiolo tar and earth on the palate. Tannins are very soft, but the acidity is still pretty good. Not bad, but clearly a wine from a challenging vintage. From 375.
2015 Jacques Maillet Vin de Savoie Chautagne Terroir des Pauvres: This was very delicious. Pure red fruit, slightly smoky on the palate, translucent, silky texture without any volatility or excess nattiness, though energetic and lively. Fabulous natural wine.
2018 Domaine Latour-Giraud Meursault 1er Cru Charmes: Surprisingly vibrant and tart considering the vintage. Plenty of texture and richness, but balanced with a zippy acidity and tension. Admittedly got a little flabby with time in the glass, but still quite good. Beautiful, expressive nose of floral notes and orchard fruit as well.
2022 Thomas Batardière Anjou L'Esprit Libre: Takes a little while for the nose to express itself, but get subtle hints of quince, green apples, and herbs. Very racy and edgy on the palate, but clean, with citrus and green fruit. Very linear and taut on Day 1. On Day 2, the acidity settles down and the fruit becomes more expansive and pronounced. Texturally, softer and rounder. A hint of nuttiness and cider on the palate. Still good -- interesting to see how this would evolve with bottle age.
1981 Ch“teau La Conseillante: Beautifully expressive on the nose with pencil lead, tobacco, violets, blackcurrent, and a hint of spice. Tannins are silky and resolved, a delicate weight on the palate, and nice, tart acidity framing the dark fruit, smoke, and spices on the long finish. Really elegant and delicious.
2021 Bartolo Mascarello Barbera d'Alba: Very young, but fresh, intense, and energetic. It could probably use some additional time to have the acidity settle down, but this is a fun, red-fruited, easy-drinking wine that went really well with Peking duck.
1983 Ridge Zinfandel Trentadue Ranch: This was a super-interesting wine. Lots of ash and tobacco on the finish. Dark, black fruit on the palate. I had this blind and initially guessed old-school California Cabernet. Really interesting to see this was just really old Ridge Zin. Lots of fun.
2004 Alzinger Riesling Smaragd Steinertal: Intense and rich, but with plenty of bright acidity to provide tension, keeping this wine light on its feet and spry. Fruit forward, but still dry.
2021 Daniel Sage Prospérité de l'entreprise: Nice wine. Definitely funky and a little sweaty, but there was purity to the fruit and a seamlessness to the wine. Definitely natty, but quite enjoyable. Very interesting.
2021 Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Vosne-Romanée: This rocked. The tannins and acidity are at a very approachable place right now. Good tension and intensity on the palate, yet texturally silky and light-footed. A hint of spice, florals, and red cherry on the nose. Just a very pretty wine.
2014 Domaine des Cavarodes (Etienne Thiébaud) Côtes du Jura Rouge Les Lumachelles: This was lovely. A bit of barnyard and funk on the nose, but not overwhelmingly so. Lighter bodied, but beautiful red fruit and great acidity. Another great showing from this producer.
2006 Le Piane Boca: Wow, this wine is surprisingly tight and burly. Extremely tannic on the finish, and just gets more astringent with time in the glass. This needs at least 10 years, if not longer.
2001 Müller-Catoir Mußbacher Eselshaut Riesling Auslese: Intense and ripe, yet also elegant and light on its feet. Texturally round with well-integrated acidity and a restrained sweetness. Just a touch tertiary to add a little complexity. Utterly glorious. From 375.
