2012 Domaine Pradelle Crozes-Hermitage - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Crozes-Hermitage (7/12/2016)
A sound but dull medium bodied wine with hardly any bouquet on the nose or aromas on the palate. I wouldn't exclude its opening up down the line but won't be buying any more. Quite good.
2015 Álvaro Castro Dão Quinta de Saes Rosé - Portugal, Beiras, Dão (7/17/2016)
Fresh, fruity and quite pleasant but unremarkable.
2015 Réserve des Chastelles Tavel - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Tavel (7/19/2016)
Quite deep pink and medium+ body as befits Tavel. Attractive rose aromas and dark fruit with adequate acidity and slight coarseness on the finish.
PS: 24 hours later the wine has improved with less coarseness on the finish and more fragrance.
2015 Domaine Méjan Taulier Tavel - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Tavel (7/20/2016)
We continued with this after finishing the Chastelles Tavel. The most obvious difference was lighter colour here. On the nose and palate, this one perhaps showed more brightness but there was very little in it. Good.
2000 Philippe Alliet Chinon Vieilles Vignes - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Chinon (7/21/2016)
My last note on this wine dates from 2011 but it has hardly changed since then except, perhaps, for slightly more tawny tints to its colour. This is a remarkably rich Chinon, especially in view of its coming, I think, from gravelly sand soil of the sort which usually gives fruity, quite light early drinking Chinon. Medium/full bodied showing robust red fruit impregnated with earthy minerals, touches of wet leather with a still quite firm tannic backbone on the finish and Chinon class. Less ethereal grace than the 2001 but very good.
NV Nicolas Feuillatte Champagne Brut Réserve - France, Champagne (7/25/2016)
A very enjoyable and lively apéritif bubbly with a level of dosage which left hints of sweetness which were not disturbing.
1996 Château Sociando-Mallet - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc (7/25/2016)
Two further excellent bottles of this wine. It was striking after 20 years how little difference there was between these two as well as the previous, my TN on which remains applicable.
1966 Château Haut-Brion - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (7/25/2016)
I was expecting disappointment in view of the mid-shoulder level but the wine was much better than I feared though not what it ideally should have been and less flawless than the Sociando-Mallet '96 which preceded. Colour still quite deep red with a little bricking at the rim. Nose subdued and musty at first but mature fruit and secondary aromas then came up. Palate was medium+ bodied and complex with with fresh acidity and some spice added to the mature fruit and forest floor and the finish was long with still enough firmness but it never completely threw off a certain musty dustiness which must be due to the ullage. Fascinating experience.
2014 Château Clément Termes Gaillac Memoire - France, Southwest France, Gaillac (7/26/2016)
First impressions were good with an original combination of citrus, mineral flavours with tangy acidity but then an overlay of vanilla and dry caramel on the finish started to pall. Sure enough visit to the estate's website confirms barrique fermentation and élevage, which IMO add a masking international patina over the wine's originality. I have had a lot worse in this respect but I think it a pity that the vigneron feels that this treatment is commercially necessary. It may integrate better with more time but I wouldn't count on it.
]2013 Château La Reyne Cahors - France, Southwest France, Cahors (7/27/2016)
Another example of a young Cahors drinking well but with real virile and slightly austere Cahors character. Medium bodied, savoury dark fruit, minerals, tangy acidity and firm liquorice sprinkled backbone. Good wine and excellent QPR at €6.
2012 Château de Tiregand Pécharmant - France, Southwest France, Dordogne, Pécharmant (7/28/2016)
IIRC this is the best Pécharmant which has come my way. Medium+ bodied with nice savoury red and dark fruit, grainy minerals, tangy acidity and virile tannic backbone which makes me realise that, in spite of only 5% Malbec plus 54% Merlot, Cahors is not a million miles away. There are only discreet traces of the 12 months of barrique ageing, which is how I like it. Very good.
2014 Château la Colombière Vin de France vinum - France, Vin de France (7/31/2016)
I've been an admirer of this Fronton estate's wines since a tasting at Brussels a few years ago. The owners are a charming couple which helps. This 100% Négrette (why no Fronton appellation?) is, like the 2013, delicious for quaffing. Medium- body with round red fruit, a sprinkling of spice, leathery tang, lively acidity and gently bitter finish but not much tannic structure. Better at cellar temperature (c.14°C) than when warmed during the meal. Good wine and good QPR when found at <€9.
2014 Orenga de Gaffory Patrimonio Rosé - France, Corsica, Patrimonio (8/2/2016)
This is an interesting pink with distinctive character made from Niellucciu (AKA Sangiovese). Medium bodied with attractive red fruit, some minerals, fresh moreish acidity and some savoury backbone. Good.
2012 Domaine de l'Oratoire St Martin Côtes du Rhône Villages Cairanne Réserve des Seigneurs - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône Villages Cairanne (8/2/2016)
Another very good bottle which we couldn't help finishing in one session. More powerful but less elegant than Richaud's comparable offering but still harmonious and equally good
2001 Poliziano Vino Nobile di Montepulciano - Italy, Tuscany, Montepulciano, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano (8/7/2016)
An attractive example of mature Tuscan Sangiovese with quasi-Médoc harmony showing medium/full body, mature red and dark fruit with balsamic notes, earthy minerals, tangy acidity and some firmness on the finish. Very good.
2011 Charles Joguet Chinon Les Petites Roches - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Chinon (8/8/2016)
A nice fresh and fruity Chinon for drinking youngish, like right now. Medium bodied showing fresh red fruit, an edge of bell pepper, which some consider a fault but which I love in moderation like here, minerals, fresh acidity and enough grip on the finish. More simplistic and less age-worthy than Joguet's top cuvées but that's as it should be. Good.
