In warm regions like S.Rhône, I often find myself liking wines from reputedly weak vintages like '08 and '14 for their purity of fruit, elegance of shape and unobtrusive alcohol and this Mas de Libian Nestor is a good example of that. Quite light coloured and medium bodied at most but very charming and moreish and full of cherry tinged fruit with a kirsch touch on the finish. At its peak now, I guess, and good.
2013 Château Henri Bonnaud Palette Les Terrasses d'Aurélia - France, Provence, Palette (4/26/2017)
My first bottle of the 2012 was marked by a strange note reminiscent of quinine laced with urine but in the second bottle that note was much fainter and the fruit more forward. This 2013 is like that second bottle showing medium+ body, savoury plum infused fruit, a little leather, that faint quinine touch, some tarry minerals, Mediterranean herbs, decent acidity and firm backbone. Some development potential here, I think. Good.
2015 Domaine de l'Oratoire St Martin Côtes du Rhône Villages Cairanne Blanc Réserve des Seigneurs - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône Villages Cairanne (4/28/2017)
S.Rhône white is not my favourite wine type in general because quite low acidity but this is a good example and fresher than many. It shows medium body, suave texture, attractively rich white fruit, some spice, fair acidity and some backbone without alcoholic burn (13.5%). Good as usual from this estate.
1999 Château Gazin Pomerol - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol (4/30/2017)
A bottle two years ago was disfigured by a pervasive aroma like a cement mixer at work. Happily this bottle was as it should be. Still quite deep colour. Expressive nose of attractively fragrant red fruit with some cedar, cèpes and balsam at first; after about 10 minutes it became slightly metallic but that note receded as deeper fruit came up. Palate was medium/full bodied with quite deep rich fruit, replaying the aromas from the nose, velvety texture and fresh acidity with still some discreet tannins supporting a decently long finish. Very good.
2015 Domaine Pierre Martin Sancerre Rouge Chavignol - France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Sancerre Rouge (5/2/2017)
Drunk from half-bottle at Le Bréard restaurant. Medium body, attractive dark cherry tinged Pinot fruit, suave texture, fresh acidity and ripe backbone. Good pairing with the refined and inventive cooking.
2014 Clos du Bois de Menge Gigondas - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Gigondas (5/4/2017)
Medium/full bodied and easy drinking with suave texture, fine red and dark fruit with a gently sweet note, spice, good balancing acidity and enough tannic grip to support the finish. Based on my experience with 2012, I think that this Gigondas may be at its best young and could risk becoming bland in two or three years. Other Gigondas, e.g. Cayron, can be quite raw and challenging at this age, but develop great complexity down the line. Good.
2014 Quinta Dos Platanos Alenquer - Portugal, Lisboa, Alenquer (5/5/2017)
Made from the Fernão Pires and Anito grape varieties, this is a very charming dry, but not bone dry, and medium bodied wine full of grape infused white fruit, spice and fresh acidity. Ideal pairing for a Portuguese style salty cod dish and good wine.
2011 Domaine du Cinquau Jurançon Sec l'elixir - France, Southwest France, Jurançon Sec (5/6/2017)
I was very pleased with this random purchase from an unfamiliar estate. Typical Jurançon nose of tropical fruit and flowers, especially mango, passion fruit and grapefruit, with an underlying touch of honey. Medium bodied, somewhat up-front shaped and dry palate showed lively fruit replaying the aromas from the nose with some added spice and minerals, a gracious undertow suggesting that a sweeter wine is trying to get out, fresh acidity and slightly saline backbone. More length would have been ideal but excellent QPR at c.€7 and very good wine.
2012 Domaine d'Aupilhac Coteaux du Languedoc Montpeyroux Cuvée les Truffières - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Coteaux du Languedoc Montpeyroux (5/8/2017)
This wine from one of my favourite Languedoc estates is made from Mourvèdre, Carignan, Syrah and Grenache but bears little resemblance to a S.Rhône blend, being fresher, more elegant and less alcoholic (13%) than most of those. Medium+ bodied showing attractive and lively red fruit laced with herbs, minerals and liquorice, lively acidity and a well supported finish. Good+.
2016 Domaine des Gauletteries Jasnières Le Tradition - France, Loire Valley, Jasnières (5/9/2017)
Delicious. Pale coloured and light/medium bodied, tendre rather than bone dry, full of white fruit like peach, pear and apple, minerals, floral aromas, mouth-watering acidity and some backbone. Maybe still a bit simplistic but so appealing that it will be hard to leave any to acquire complexity. Good+.
2015 Château Tour des Gendres Bergerac Primo de Conti - France, Southwest France, Dordogne, Bergerac (5/10/2017)
Made from Merlot and Malbec, this medium+ bodied bottle showed burgeoning plum like fruit, a touch of wet leather, minerals, some roundness and depth, tangy acidity and some grip on the finish. The 2009 at age 5/6 was much less exuberant and appealing; probably a cuvée at its best in the first flush of youth. Good wine and good QPR at €7. Repeat purchase beckons.
Retasted on 5/11/2017, it has already lost some bloom and exuberance.
2015 Domaine de la Belle Côtes-de-Duras Belle Effrontée - France, Southwest France, Côtes-de-Duras (5/12/2017)
I'm not normally a big fan of wines from Bordeaux satellite appellations but this is my second good one this week. Very marked by SB, though only 60% of the wine's contents according the the estate's website, it was medium bodied showing exotic fruit, floral aromas, a certain tenderness, underlying roundness, lively acidity and a tangy finish. Good.
2012 Fattoria di Cinciano Chianti Classico - Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG (5/14/2017)
A very enjoyable medium+ bodied Chianti Classico with fresh red fruit, caressing texture, some depth, good acidity and grip on the finish. Good.
2016 Château Le Grand Verdus Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Supérieur (5/17/2017)
Enjoyable but simplistic light/medium bodied white Bordeaux with lively fruit and acidity and some minerality. Rather short on the palate. Last Friday's Côtes de Duras with a similar varietal composition was better. Quite good and decent QPR at <€6.
2015 Grands Vins Selection Juliénas le meilleur des 2 mondes - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Juliénas (5/19/2017)
Attractive medium+ bodied Juliénas with savoury plum fruit, a prune touch, minerals, tangy acidity and backbone. It showed best and acquired some complexity slightly less cool (c.16°C) than many Beaujolais. No hurry to consume. Good.
2009 Fattoria di Fèlsina Berardenga Chianti Classico - Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG (5/20/2017)
I liked this better than the previous bottle. "Medium/light bodied and elegant with pretty sour cherry infused fruit, light minerals and fresh acidity" still applies as a partial description but this time I detected more depth and complexity with touches of leather and spice. We couldn't hold off finishing the bottle! Very good.
Posted from CellarTracker