Chateau Giraud winery visit

05 Sunday Mar 2023

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When Moxie and I booked our trip to Bordeaux I wanted to visit Sauternes- so I looked up my favorites from the past and decided that Guiraud was going to be it.  Unlike many others in the region, they are open on Saturdays, which was the only day we were free.  Overcast skies and winter vegetation could not detract from the inherent beauty of this organically farmed estate.  Our guide was awesome and very informative.  We toured the cellars and grounds with a glass of their dry white in hand- the ‘G’ was spectacular.  A blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon, it had excellent acidity, balance and length with delicious flavors and aromas that made Moxie claim it to be her favorite dry white ever.  A big statement indeed.

The dry white wine

Our tour took us to the tasting room where we tried the Petite and Grand vins from several vintages.  I savored every drop of these stunningly delicious dessert wines and compared the nuances of each vintage.  The 2014 was my favorite as it was very precise with a freshness that was not evident in the older vintages.  The 1998 was liquid gold, rich and laden with tertiary notes that one hopes for in cellared wines.  The 2005 was in between- showing some youth whilst taking on a smoky note that was very interesting.  I love these wines and purchased two more vintages for my cellar.  Look out for tasting notes in the future!  Overall- this is a must visit winery if you are in the region where you will be warmly greeted and treated to spectacular wines.  Salut….

Chateau Cos D’Estournel winery tour

04 Saturday Mar 2023

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The second winery we visited on our trip to Bordeaux was right up the road from Lynch Bages, in St. Estephe.  This Indian inspired winery is stunning to say the least.  The inside is like a Maharajas palace- beautifully appointed with rich colors and exotic fabrics.  The winery wasn’t bad either- they were one of, if not the first to install a gravity flow system to ensure the wine was not overworked by pumping and other quality degrading operations.

The imposing facade

The tasting was amazing- Three wines from different vintages and obviously quality levels.  All were great for what they were but the Grand Vin was a complete standout.

Our guide was excellent.  Very informative and gracious.  Our tour ended in their shop where I purchased two bottles of their sister winery in Hungary’s Tokaji.  From the same vintage I bought the 5 and 6 puttonyos versions to compare.  Stay tuned for that tasting.  If you are in the area this is a must-visit winery.  Salut….

Pacheco Pereda Estirpe Organic Cabernet Franc 2021, Mendoza, Argentina

03 Friday Mar 2023

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Not quite opaque, this deep ruby Cabernet Franc has medium viscosity legs (14% ABV).  The nose has bright aromas- violets, black raspberry, bell pepper, vanilla, baking spices, black plums and an interesting purple twizzler note.  The palate is dry with medium acidity and crunchy tannins that are medium (+) in intensity.  A touch astringent- the mouthfeel leads to a medium-to-full body with flavors of black plum and raspberry, vanilla bean and oak spices.  The tannins really grip on the back end where they get a little more fine-grained.  On the initial push they were very raw and coarse.  This wine could use aerating methinks.  I like the finish, it’s pretty long in length and the florals that I got on the nose reappear alongside the dark red fruit and softening tannins.  I have been simmering a Port reduction sauce to go over some grilled Strip steaks, this wine is going to pair beautifully.  92 points from me for this $30 offering makes it a 5 star effort to drink till 2030.  Salut….

Laurent Fayolle Crozes-Hermitage Sens 2019, Rhone, France

01 Wednesday Mar 2023

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A quick and basic tasting note of this French Syrah- Opaque purple. Fruity nose with florals and ripe fruit.  Black plum, lavender, licorice, coffee.  Medium acidity, medium tannins, full body.  Grippy black fruits with flavors of plum, black cherry, bitter dark chocolate with a shortish finish.  88 points and for $19 it gets 4 stars.  Drink till 2025 with hearty meat stews and grilled game.  Salut….

Chateau Les Ormes-de-Pez 2006, Saint-Estephe, France

01 Wednesday Mar 2023

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Purchased at the gift shop in Bages, this Cru Bourgeois is part of the Lynch Bages portfolio.  Pardon the abrupt notes, but it is being drunk at our Parisian Air-bnb in glasses that are not optimal.   Medium garnet colored , nose of blackberry, cassis, tobacco, cedar box, classic aged Bordeaux. Delicious with medium acidity and medium tannins that are well integrated with a medium body.  Slightly tart on the back end with black fruit puree and cassis.  Secondary and tertiary flavors of tobacco, cedar lined drawers, smoke and espresso.  Long finish with tart dark fruit- 91 points.  For around $43, you too can taste this delicious and mature wine.  4 stars.  Salut….

Quinta do Crasto Roquette & Cazes 2019, Douro, Portugal

01 Wednesday Mar 2023

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Inky purple in the glass with virtually no legs- 14.5% ABV.  Vanilla, spice, ripe blackberry, (served in the wrong glass so it was difficult to draw off aromas).  Ripe black fruits, fresh oaky notes of vanilla, chocolate powder, black plum and cassis.  Delicious with medium tannins and acidity- a full body that covers my palate through to a medium length finish.  Great drinking right now with a few years left in cellar.  92 points from me and at $26, worthy of looking for as this 5 star beauty will impress.  Salut….

Chateau Lynch Bages winery tour

28 Tuesday Feb 2023

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If you know me at all you will know that Lynch Bages is on my top three wines of all time.  I have drunk several vintages and many bottles over the past 25 years of this stunning Bordeaux wine.  When we decided to visit the region, they were the first winery I contacted for a tour.  I must admit the grey overcast and rainy days of February might not be the most picturesque time of the year to visit but there were no crowds and we were greeted by our excellent host at the newly built, ultra modern gravity flow winery.  Lots of glass in the main building allows for ample light and the beautifully appointed offices included a whimsical set of bathrooms replete with some funny cartoons.

Our tour began with in the ‘fermentation room’.  Stainless steel fermenting tanks that are gravity fed by a system of elevators and controlled by computer, very impressive set up.

Next up was a museum of sorts- the old wooden vats and the railroad system they used to employ to fill the barrels with must and also to press the wine.  Some interesting artifacts indeed!

Barrels of wine resting up prior to bottling, smoothing out and picking up secondary notes over time.

Remnants of grape and olive presses are on display outside the vault that holds their library of vintages.

And finally- the moment we had waited for.   The tasting room greeted us with three offerings- the ’15 Ormes de Pez, ’16 Echo (their second wine) and the ’14 Grand Vin.  All drank beautifully and showed the power off this winery as well as its finesse.  Stunning wines to drink made ever more special by the surroundings.

Our tour ended with a visit to their local village where we shopped for wine, drank coffee and thoroughly enjoyed reveling in the moment.  What a special place.  Salut….

A trip to Bordeaux

27 Monday Feb 2023

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Moxie and I took a trip to France which started out in Bordeaux.  Once settled into the hotel we started our wine adventure with a taste of the local wares.  Our bar had a by-the-glass program of several delicious classified Crus that I worked through.  Dinner was fabulous and included a bottle of Graves.  We had to prepare ourselves for the next two days- visits to Chateau Lynch Bages, Cos D’Estournel and Guiraud as well as a pit stop in St. Emilion.  Dining was unbelievable, the wines were impeccable and scenery was pretty cool.  The only drawback being the rain for the first two days.  Overall it was a great three days in wine country followed by a hi-speed train to Paris, passing through the Loire Valley and catching a glimpse of the Vouvray appellation.  Stay tuned for more posts on this amazing trip.  Salut….

Wines by the glass

Our opener on arrival!

the smorgasbord

First full bottle

Amazing Burrata

Grilled Octopus

Delicious vino

The salmon dish

First of many steaks

Braised lamb

OMG

Raul Perez Ultreia Saint Jacques 2019, Bierzo, Spain

21 Tuesday Feb 2023

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This Mencia was a medium magenta/ruby color in the glass.  An earthy nose of crushed gravel and licorice with blackberry and lilac aromas.  The palate had medium (+) acidity, medium (-) tannins and a hefty body.  Blackberry, gravel, licorice all featured and the finish was medium in length.  Pairings for this wine would include lamb chops, beef stew or even roast duck.  Drink this 90 point wine till 2026.  I paid $20 but it can found for a few bucks cheaper, not bad and worthy of 5 stars.  Salut….

Bodegas Atalaya ‘La Atalaya del Camino’ 2017, Almansa, Spain

21 Tuesday Feb 2023

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Intense and brooding, this Alicante Bouschet (a teinturier grape) was spectacular.  Licorice hit me on the nose from a mile away, closer in I got aromas of smoke, vanilla, ripe blackberry, blueberry, leather, earth and baking spices.  The palate had gentle acidity, robust tannins and a full body.  The fruit flavors were very ripe and almost jammy- blackberry and blackcurrant with dark chocolate, licorice and baking spice.  A long finish made me give this wine 93 points- not far off from the pros.  For $15 you better believe I am stocking up on this 5 star stunner.  Drink till 2027.  Salut….