What did you drink tonight?

Trio of young red Saumurs on root nights, always in search of less onerous Rougeard substitutes.

The first, from the nephew/son, was my favorite, the rest were disappointing.

2011 Collier Domaine La Charpentrie Saumur Rouge 13.0%
Leather and black pepper. A little sweet on the tongue. Good acidity, attractively salty and spicy. Body on the lighter side, perhaps a reflection of the harvest. Fairly polished. I liked it OK; Marcia liked it more.

2011 La Source de Saumur Champigny Ruault Senseï 13.0%
A Don Rice selection. Aroma chameleon: herbaceous, iodine, underbrush, smoked lard. Marcia smelled some leather, I didn't. Good acidity and body, but a licorice note did not sit well, together with the lard, kinda glyceric. Much as I was motivated to like a Don Rice selection, I did not like this much, but Marcia did.

2012 Domaine Guiberteau Saumur Rouge 11.5%
Closed, with a bit of tar and licorice. Good acidity and structure, but not very tasty. Time will certainly help, but it does not seem pointed in a direction I might like.
 
2014 Forlorn Hope "Suspiro Del Moro" - 'cause we're all goin' Portuguese now (but don't ask me why the Moor's sighing in Spanish); 100% Alvarelhão grapes from Lodi, 13.12% abv. Whole cluster. Fantastic lightness swirled with bitterness. This is my first red "rare creature" (as the winemaker calls his wines) from Forlorn Hope. Would recidivate.
 
2012 Breton Regnie was a delightful mix of varietal fruit, minerals and Brett-tinged meat. Not the most profound example of genre, but a pleasure to drink.

Mark Lipton
 
Andre and Michel Quenard 2014 Savoie Chignin Blanc VV is very pretty, rainwater light with honey, citrus and stones. Delicious white wine.
 
Yeah, a pleasant surprise, Chris. (at $12, mere pennies from heaven)

Had another notable bottle this week near the same price point: 2004 Saumur-Champigny, Les Loups Noirs. Aaa-Oooo, Werewolves of Nerleux. Aaa-Oooo
 
Just arrived back in Portugal and had us a bottle of the delicioso Adega de Monção Alvarinho 12% from 2014. Set us back three Euro, making it a serious contendah in the alternative to muscadet cheapskate sweepstake.
 
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