At cold cellar temperature (c.12°C) it seemed rather thin and tart but a couple or so degrees extra rounded it out and it became a very quaffable medium/light Beaujolais with savoury damson fruit, minerals, moreish tangy acidity and slightly saline backbone. Nice.
1996 Domaine de Montbourgeau L'Etoile Vin Jaune - France, Jura, L'Etoile (2/7/2015)
Lovely vin jaune, frankly oxidative as it should be, with some similarity to dry sherry but richer and juicier with lively acidity, minerals, notes of nuts, varnish and wax and excellent length and refinement. IMO this is a great wine type and I would drink it more often if food pairing were not so difficult. Firm free range chicken served with a cream and (lesser) vin jaune sauce together with morels was ideal. Very good.
2001 Foreau Domaine du Clos Naudin Vouvray Sec - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray (2/10/2015)
Even better than the previous bottle in terms of tension, aromatic expression and length on the palate with superb beeswax and quince notes integrated with juicy acidity. Very good but alas my last bottle.
2004 René Noël Legrand Saumur-Champigny Les Rogelins - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Saumur-Champigny (2/12/2015)
Deeper red than usual for Loire CabFranc. Attractive nose of savoury red fruit with clay, graphite, wet leather and charcoal hints. The medium + bodied, linear and structured palate shows lively fruit, the beginnings of secondary complexity, earthy minerals, more wet leather hints, still quite firm tannins and crisp acidity which continues to mark the aromas on the long well supported finish. This wine's new oak treatment was well integrated in its 11th year and only showed it presence by a polished patina. Very good.
To celebrate St.Valentine, we went to the best restaurant we have so far found it Normandy located at the picturesque village of Beuvron-en-Auge in the former village market hall expensively converted to the restaurant purpose. They offered a fixed menu including Champagne and two modest but very good Southern wines carefully chosen by the expert sommelier. (The restaurant also boasts a fabulous but high priced wine list of French classics but, for Bordeaux and Burgundy in particular, in vintages at least 10 years younger than I think ideal.
) Back to the evening's wines.NV L & S Cheurlin Champagne Brut Tradition - France, Champagne (2/14/2015)
This Champagne is made in the Aube from Pinot Noir 70% and Chard 30%. It was medium bodied and delightfully crisp and fruity without astringency so suitable with starters but with enough backbone to go through a meal. Good+ champ and good value at c.€20 quoted in WS.
2011 Domaine Vindemio Ventoux Regain - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Ventoux (2/14/2015)
An interesting wine made from Clairette and Grenache blanc. At first I was disconcerted by an aroma reminiscent of botrytis (nearly impossible in Ventoux) and by low acidity but air and the pairing of assorted fish with a touch of pesto brought it into focus and I appreciated its burnished richness combined with notes of dried white fruit. I wouldn't keep this any longer. Good now.
2012 Domaine du Champs des Soeurs Fitou Bel Amant - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Fitou (2/14/2015)
A powerful sea level Mediterranean wine made from Carignan, Grenache and Mourvèdre with a name suitable for a St.Valentine's dinner. Full bodied, gutsy, full of slightly sweet and tangy dark fruit, spice, a touch of leather, enough acidity and ripe tannins. Excellent pairing for a subtle pigeon dish. Good wine and good value c.€10 retail.
And now back home on Sunday with magret de canard (duck steak), the sort of wine I could never have in a restaurant
because of both price and maturity.1996 Domaine Jamet Côte-Rôtie - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie (2/15/2015)
Very elegant and very good but lighter than I was expecting and not to be recommended to those brought up on up-front blockbusters. Colour only showed slight signs of bricking at the rim. Nose was very expressive and for the first time I noted marked aromas of olives and bacon, often mentioned by other tasters in N.Rhône, with the more usual sour cherry in the background. The palate was medium bodied at most with a very subdued, even thin, entry but the texture was velvety and there followed a gradual crescendo and filling out towards the finish which was ended with a long fading of flavours into the throat. The aromas from the nose were complemented by peppery spice, faint touches of leather, marked non-astringent acidity and discreet tannins bolstering the structure and giving a complex and harmonious overall effect. Excellent.
Posted from CellarTracker