I’ve had this one before, but a while ago so I thought with some cellaring it would be even better- no surprise.It’s staring to turn a touch garnet but is of pale intensity.The nose is quite pronounced with pomegranate, red cherry, cranberry, barnyard, dried sage and dried red plum.The palate is delicious.Smooth with low tannins, medium acidity , medium body and gobs of flavor.In addition to the red fruits and tertiary notes I also get some rooibos tea.The finish is medium length and chock full of fruit with some super fine tannins.92 points, drink till 2027. It runs $50 these days which makes it a 4 star wine in my books. Salut….
I’ve been sitting on a few bottles of Burgundy for years- tonight’s beef dish calls for a Pinot Noir so here goes. Pale garnet in color which is to be expected for an 11-year old wine. The nose is amazing, exactly what I was hoping for. Pronounced aromas of earth, garrigue, dried red cherry, walnut, prune, stewed strawberry, funky barnyard and white pepper. Tertiary aromas galore from prolonged cellaring. The palate shows some fresh fruit but the bulk of the pronounced flavors are of stewed or dried red fruit, nuts, earthy components and funk along with gentle acidity and lithe tannins. The wine is very balanced and light to mid weight. Low alcohol at 13% ABV makes for a crisp mouthfeel and no heat. I like the delicacy of this wine and am grateful that it matured in the manner it has. My patience has been rewarded by this $50 gem that gets 92 points from me. I believe it will last till 2026 and will go well with roasted poultry, beef Burgundy or even Venison. 5 stars. Salut….
I’m cooking Beef Bourguignon which calls for a Pinot Noir, preferably from Burgundy. As luck would have it I happen to have two bottles of this $10 South of France wine ready to go. The skeptics will question whether you can get decent Pinot for that price- I’m here to report. It looks about right: pale, see-through ruby. Medium density aromas of primal red cherry, pomegranate, stewed strawberry and a spice note. Not overly complex, but interesting nonetheless. The palate is very pleasant with red fruits including cherry, light tannins, medium acidity and a decent length finish. Very little if any oak was used here, freshness and price were probably the prime considerations. I like it for what it is and considering most of it will end up in the stew- I think it works great! 87 points from me makes this a 3 star wine to be drunk asap. Salut….
I’m grilling a spatchcocked chicken on the charcoal- it’s either a white wine or a Pinot. This one is pale garnet in color with almost no legs- indicative of the low 12.5% ABV. Th nose has medium intensity aromas of red cherry, strawberry, straw, perfume, red licorice and wet stone. It’s quite complex and certainly interesting. The palate is dry with good acidity and lithe tannins. The red fruit flavors intermingle with some black cherry and hints of oak. The wine has a light to medium body and a decently long finish where the very slight tannins make themselves present. It’s a delicious, lighter style of Pinot that is showing very nice primary fruit flavors in a layered manner with good structure. If you prefer a more delicate and seductive Pinot, this one is right up our alley. 91 points from me for this $26 charmer (I paid $33 CAD in Quebec) makes it a 5 star effort. Drink till 2026. Salut….
When pairing Asian food, there are so many variables- spice, complexity and flavor profiles to mention a few. Tonight we are making self-rolled Vietnamese style wraps with choices of ground chicken, thin grilled beef or steamed shrimp to go alongside the myriad of veggies that all get wrapped into a thin rice paper and adorned with sweet or spicy sauces. I figured a lighter wine would carry the freshness of the meal better than a big, tannic monster so Pinot was the obvious choice.
This Oregonian wine is see-through and a nice shade of ruby, perhaps even starting to turn garnet (it is 7 years old by now). The nose has fresh aromas of strawberry, red cherry, cinnamon, cedar and raspberry coulis. On the palate it is spectacular- rich with warm red fruit alongside spicebox, cedar and cinnamon. Gentle acidity, low tannins and a relatively full body make for a great mouthfeel that will pair as hoped. It is drinking beautifully right now and will continue to do so until 2026 at the least. 92 points from me and at $75 per bottle, 4 stars. Salut….
This Pinot Noir is deep purple and semi opaque in the glass. On the nose it is quite intense with red and black cherry, raspberry, oak and strawberry bubble gum. The palate is gorgeous- smooth with lithe tannins, gentle acidity and a ton of fruit flavor. Layers or cherry, raspberry and mocha notes intertwine, some strawberry is present but the complexity of this wine is awesome. I love restrained Pinots, wines that are seductive and not overpowering. This one is definitely a more fruit forward version, New Worldish yet it has such purity of fruit and is not over-the-top extracted. The finish is long. The fact that it is only 13.3% ABV makes it a refreshing change from the monsters I have been drinking lately. Drink till 2026 with lean cuts of beef, maybe a hearty Salmon on the grill or some well seasoned Cornish hens. 92 points from me for this $58 treat. I love this winery and have enjoyed several of their previous wines. 5 stars. Salut….
Virtual tasting #20 started off on a high gear with the Reserve Pinot Gris, only to have it overshadowed by this stunner. Once people started sniffing all I could hear were Oooh, Aaah… On the nose the group noted aromas of licorice, forest floor, pepper, white chocolate, cardamom, black cherry, raspberry and rosewater. How’s that for complexity?
The palate was absolutely delicious- I was so excited to drink this wine. Super smooth with silky tannins and gentle acidity- we got flavors of raspberry, black cherry, Rooibos tea but it lost the pepper component. The depth of this wine was beguiling. On our tasting sheet I gave it a near perfect 19/20. Technically speaking, this $35 wine gets 93 points and 5 stars from me. You could cellar some, but why wait? Damn that was good. Might end up on the best-of list. Salut….
When I drank this wine at my mates place, I was thinking of my wine course so I used the standard lexicon to describe it. Having said that, I will add a few personal notes. I’ve never had a wine from Yarra Valley. A cooler climate area that allows Pinot to grow, I found this wine to be well developed, almost over the hill at a mere 6 years of age. Perhaps my mate Johny stored it incorrectly? It was tasty to be sure, but was very much ripe and stewed. It may have a few years left but drink now to enjoy it the most. I give it 90 points even though it got upwards of 93 from the pros. At $30 plus, it gets 3 stars from me. Salut…
Pale tawny
Nose- medium intensity strawberry, cranberry, red cherry, earth and game.Developing
Palate-dry, medium – acidity, medium – body, medium – tannins, medium intensity flavors of strawberry, red cherry, earth, cooked strawberry and sour?.Medium finish.
Conclusion- acceptable quality to be drunk now, but has potential for ageing.
This Pinot is pretty opaque for the varietal. A lovely shade of ruby with watery legs that give clue to the low 13% ABV. On the nose I get spice box, red cherry, pomegranate and cranberry. On the palate this wine is a touch tart and lacks any discernible tannins- not that I am complaining. I like Pinot with a touch of sourness and no dryness, makes for a crisp mouthfeel. The red fruit flavors are quite pronounced and balanced but I also get blueberry on the mid palate. I like the weight but the finish is a touch short. This bottle has what I really like in Pinot Noir- elegance and lightness with freshness and not too much oak influence. It is seductive and lithe, maybe not very complex but it delivers lots of fruit flavors. I would drink this one till 2025, perhaps pairing with Duck or Strip steak. 89 points from me and at $20 it’s a good deal that gets 4 stars. Salut….
One of this week’s assignements for my wine course is to discuss and taste a Burgundy. Here goes:
I have selected a 1er Cru wine to taste from the Côte D’Or. Located in Savigny-Lès-Beaune, the Vergelesses vineyard is southeast facing with a gentle slope. The wine is a Pinot Noir that has been vinified with wild yeasts having been hand picked and cultivated without chemicals. It has been aged for 18 months in French oak barrels.
The Pinot Noir grape is notoriously difficult to grow and produce quality wine, it requires a lot of attention and is susceptible to disease and rot. It has a difficult time ripening and needs a cool to moderate climate. Situated in the central part of Burgundy, this vineyard gets the right weather and with the aspect being southeast, it gets the maximum sunshine ensuring full ripeness. The gently slope allows some extra degree of sunshine for the grapes as well as good drainage.
Hand picking the ripe berries makes for a more uniform selection of grapes and raises the overall quality whilst the use of French oak barrels adds complexity, which is compounded by the use of wild yeasts.
Jean Féry & Fils Savigny-Lès-Beaune 1er Cru Les Vergelesses 2010, France 13% ABV
Appearance- Clear, pale garnet with watery legs.
Nose- Pronounced aromas of red cherry, redcurrant, stewed fruit, clove and smoke. Developing.
Palate- Dry, high acidity, medium (-) tannin, medium alcohol, medium (-) body, medium intensity flavors of red cherry, strawberry, redcurrant, smoke, prune. The finish is medium (+).
Conclusion- A very good wine that can be drunk now but has potential for aging.
Ps. This is the second 1er Cru I have opened this week that I think is too young, even at 10+ years. I really like the way this one is developing, the tertiary flavors are starting to come out. I have two more bottles to sit on and watch the evolution over the next 5 years or so.
So, I am going with 92 points and for $50, this is a great deal on semi-aged Burgundy that gets 5 stars from me. Salut….
