Jura
2019 Champ Divin Côtes du Jura Cuvée Castor: An expressive floral nose but quite dilute on the palate. Ouille-style, but still a touch oxidative. Ok acidity. Fresh, lemony, and stony, but short finish. Chardonnay-Savagnin blend.
2020 Le Clos des Grives Poulsard Côtes du Jura Nada: Very light and elegant with delicate red cherry fruit intertwined with peppery notes (probably from the stems). Good acidity, crisp, and quite refreshing. Tails off a little on the finish, but I really enjoyed this.
2023 Domaine Didier Grappe Vin de France Pif Purple: Admittedly, I was initially a little skeptical about this wine because it is made with hybrid grape varieties, but I was pleasantly surprised how vinous this wine turned out to be. Nice red cherry aromas with subdued florals on the nose and similarly red-fruited on the palate with some stemmy green notes that add complexity rather than detract. Texturally silky and very refreshing. Very well made.
2023 Julien Crinquand Cuvée du P'tit Prince: Intense, savory and meaty with layers of beautiful red fruit, pepper, and herbal green notes. Despite its density, it is balanced with refreshing acidity and a nice tannic bite on the finish. A really enjoyable, serious wine.
2021 Les Mathény Arbois Pinot Trousseau: Nice expressive nose that is spicy and savory. Also has classic Trousseau red fruit and acidity with nice notes of earthiness and minerality, but the oak is a little pronounced here with a hint of vanilla on the palate. The grip of the tannins is also prominent. Clearly intended to be aged, so might become less glossy with time in the cellar.
2022 Les Bottes Rouges (Jean-Baptiste Menigoz) Pinot Noir Arbois La Pépée: Fresh red cherries on the nose. On the palate, bright and refreshing, but fruit forward and not super complex. Nevertheless, very drinkable and delicious with its mouthwatering acidity. Just a barest hint of grip from the tannins.
NV Domaine de la Tournelle Macvin du Jura: This was really nice. Obviously, a bit of a punch in the mouth after all of the rather delicate Jura wines before this, but a nice way to end things with a little sweetness and alcoholic heat. Nice acidity. Tasty for what it is.
Savoie
2023 Corentin Houillon Vin de Savoie Chautagne Montée Furieuse: Getting pear and cider on the nose. On the palate, leaning towards tart citrus and minerals with oxidative notes, with fresh and mouthwatering acidity. Very clean, crisp, perhaps a bit simple, but pure, with a light-body and good finesse. Very drinkable with no glossy oak. Just a little cloudy in the glass. Really nice and refreshing wine. 100% Jacquard.
2023 Corentin Houillon Roussette de Savoie Force Of Nature: The barrel influence is much more pronounced here. Made in an oxidative style, it is also slightly creamy and round with a noticeable amount of vanilla layered over the flavors of tart green apple, pear, and herbs on the palate. Still light, elegant, and refreshing with juicy acidity and a hint of bitterness on the finish (which may be a product of the oak). More textured, and arguably more complex, but it just lacks the purity of the Montee Furieuse and needs more time for the wood to integrate.
2023 Corentin Houillon Altesse Vin de Savoie Zenith: A skin-contact wine that's a blend of Altesse and Jacquard. Not overwhelmingly "orange" on the nose, but definitely quite "orange" on the palate. Refreshing, elegant, with good finesse, though perhaps a touch too subtle and for some will come across as dilute. There's ample, well-integrated acidity with no crunch or volatility. Super clean, without any "natty wine" faults. Slightly bitter finish with a subtle hint of orange marmalade and a touch of wood on the finish.
2023 Corentin Houillon Gamay Vin de Savoie Chautagne Vieux Foug: There's an expressive nose of wild strawberry. The palate has juicy, pure red fruit with a touch of smokiness, herbs, and meatiness on the finish. Slightly crunchy acidity. Just a really nice Gamay-varietal wine that's light and refreshing with just a touch of grip from the tannins.
Dolomites
2023 Foradori Manzoni Bianco Fontanasanta: Lifted and slightly cidery on the nose. On the palate, there's oxidative notes intermingled with white fruit and a touch of lemon. There's an interesting, oily texture that gives the wines a sense of suppleness and breadth, but is balanced with a nice, tangy acidic spine. Becomes less bruised and more precise with time in the glass. Manzoni Bianco is a cross between Pinot Bianco and Riesling, with the Pinot Bianco characteristics particularly notable here (apparently, with age, you get more Riesling characteristics).
2023 Foradori Lezèr: I'm getting florals and some stemmy pepper notes on the nose with fresh red berry aromas. The body is quite light and crunchy, with bright red fruit, some stony minerality, and a nice, juicy acidity. Very easy drinking and fun, with a nice spicy finish of black pepper and salty brine. Around 70% Teroldego with the rest a mix of Schiava, Lagrein, and Merlot.
2022 Foradori Yorgo: Very light and delicate on the palate with almost ethereal brambly red fruit, a hint of mineral, and black pepper. For some, this will be almost too light-bodied and some may consider this dilute. However, it is very refreshing and bright with a nice lifted, acidic bite on the finish that is also framed by a slight touch of grip from the dusty tannins. Made from indigenous Georgian grape varieties: 40% Saperavi (black), 20% Rkatsiteli (white), and the rest a mix of Mtsvane (white), Khikhvi (white), Saperavi (black), Mujuretuli (black), Aleksandrouli (black) and Tsuzukidze (black). Destemmed and placed in a Spanish clay tinaja for 6 months (spontaneous fermentation, indigenous yeast, no sulfur).
2019 Champ Divin Côtes du Jura Cuvée Castor: An expressive floral nose but quite dilute on the palate. Ouille-style, but still a touch oxidative. Ok acidity. Fresh, lemony, and stony, but short finish. Chardonnay-Savagnin blend.
2020 Le Clos des Grives Poulsard Côtes du Jura Nada: Very light and elegant with delicate red cherry fruit intertwined with peppery notes (probably from the stems). Good acidity, crisp, and quite refreshing. Tails off a little on the finish, but I really enjoyed this.
2023 Domaine Didier Grappe Vin de France Pif Purple: Admittedly, I was initially a little skeptical about this wine because it is made with hybrid grape varieties, but I was pleasantly surprised how vinous this wine turned out to be. Nice red cherry aromas with subdued florals on the nose and similarly red-fruited on the palate with some stemmy green notes that add complexity rather than detract. Texturally silky and very refreshing. Very well made.
2023 Julien Crinquand Cuvée du P'tit Prince: Intense, savory and meaty with layers of beautiful red fruit, pepper, and herbal green notes. Despite its density, it is balanced with refreshing acidity and a nice tannic bite on the finish. A really enjoyable, serious wine.
2021 Les Mathény Arbois Pinot Trousseau: Nice expressive nose that is spicy and savory. Also has classic Trousseau red fruit and acidity with nice notes of earthiness and minerality, but the oak is a little pronounced here with a hint of vanilla on the palate. The grip of the tannins is also prominent. Clearly intended to be aged, so might become less glossy with time in the cellar.
2022 Les Bottes Rouges (Jean-Baptiste Menigoz) Pinot Noir Arbois La Pépée: Fresh red cherries on the nose. On the palate, bright and refreshing, but fruit forward and not super complex. Nevertheless, very drinkable and delicious with its mouthwatering acidity. Just a barest hint of grip from the tannins.
NV Domaine de la Tournelle Macvin du Jura: This was really nice. Obviously, a bit of a punch in the mouth after all of the rather delicate Jura wines before this, but a nice way to end things with a little sweetness and alcoholic heat. Nice acidity. Tasty for what it is.
Savoie
2023 Corentin Houillon Vin de Savoie Chautagne Montée Furieuse: Getting pear and cider on the nose. On the palate, leaning towards tart citrus and minerals with oxidative notes, with fresh and mouthwatering acidity. Very clean, crisp, perhaps a bit simple, but pure, with a light-body and good finesse. Very drinkable with no glossy oak. Just a little cloudy in the glass. Really nice and refreshing wine. 100% Jacquard.
2023 Corentin Houillon Roussette de Savoie Force Of Nature: The barrel influence is much more pronounced here. Made in an oxidative style, it is also slightly creamy and round with a noticeable amount of vanilla layered over the flavors of tart green apple, pear, and herbs on the palate. Still light, elegant, and refreshing with juicy acidity and a hint of bitterness on the finish (which may be a product of the oak). More textured, and arguably more complex, but it just lacks the purity of the Montee Furieuse and needs more time for the wood to integrate.
2023 Corentin Houillon Altesse Vin de Savoie Zenith: A skin-contact wine that's a blend of Altesse and Jacquard. Not overwhelmingly "orange" on the nose, but definitely quite "orange" on the palate. Refreshing, elegant, with good finesse, though perhaps a touch too subtle and for some will come across as dilute. There's ample, well-integrated acidity with no crunch or volatility. Super clean, without any "natty wine" faults. Slightly bitter finish with a subtle hint of orange marmalade and a touch of wood on the finish.
2023 Corentin Houillon Gamay Vin de Savoie Chautagne Vieux Foug: There's an expressive nose of wild strawberry. The palate has juicy, pure red fruit with a touch of smokiness, herbs, and meatiness on the finish. Slightly crunchy acidity. Just a really nice Gamay-varietal wine that's light and refreshing with just a touch of grip from the tannins.
Dolomites
2023 Foradori Manzoni Bianco Fontanasanta: Lifted and slightly cidery on the nose. On the palate, there's oxidative notes intermingled with white fruit and a touch of lemon. There's an interesting, oily texture that gives the wines a sense of suppleness and breadth, but is balanced with a nice, tangy acidic spine. Becomes less bruised and more precise with time in the glass. Manzoni Bianco is a cross between Pinot Bianco and Riesling, with the Pinot Bianco characteristics particularly notable here (apparently, with age, you get more Riesling characteristics).
2023 Foradori Lezèr: I'm getting florals and some stemmy pepper notes on the nose with fresh red berry aromas. The body is quite light and crunchy, with bright red fruit, some stony minerality, and a nice, juicy acidity. Very easy drinking and fun, with a nice spicy finish of black pepper and salty brine. Around 70% Teroldego with the rest a mix of Schiava, Lagrein, and Merlot.
2022 Foradori Yorgo: Very light and delicate on the palate with almost ethereal brambly red fruit, a hint of mineral, and black pepper. For some, this will be almost too light-bodied and some may consider this dilute. However, it is very refreshing and bright with a nice lifted, acidic bite on the finish that is also framed by a slight touch of grip from the dusty tannins. Made from indigenous Georgian grape varieties: 40% Saperavi (black), 20% Rkatsiteli (white), and the rest a mix of Mtsvane (white), Khikhvi (white), Saperavi (black), Mujuretuli (black), Aleksandrouli (black) and Tsuzukidze (black). Destemmed and placed in a Spanish clay tinaja for 6 months (spontaneous fermentation, indigenous yeast, no sulfur).