2012 Clos Triguedina Cahors - France, Southwest France, Cahors (5/21/2017)
Colour very dark. Nose of savoury plum fruit slightly marred by a taint like that from badly rinsed glasses (perhaps they were - I tried it from two!). Palate medium/full bodied, fruit more savoury and less sweet than the 2010's, some depth and roundness, a little earth and leather, fresh acidity and more tannic backbone than La Chapelle du Clos. Good+ and perhaps more, if the glasses were the problem.
2012 Domaine Moutard-Diligent Irancy - France, Burgundy, Côtes d'Auxerre, Irancy (5/22/2017)
Deeper colour than expected and medium bodied but aromatically shut tight; rather surprising in the wine's 5th year. Sound but dull.
2013 Domaine Le Roc Fronton La Folle Noire d'Ambat - France, Southwest France, Fronton (5/23/2017)
I persist in liking this wine. Velvety texture, cherry tinged fruit, earthy with the bitterness on the finish less in evidence than on the bottle about a year ago. Good+.
2001 Château Poujeaux - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Moulis en Médoc (5/24/2017)
Very good impression fully consistent with my notes on a bottle drunk about nine months ago. Delicious and probably at its peak but likely to hold there for some time.
2013 Château Bellevue La Forêt Fronton - France, Southwest France, Fronton (5/25/2017)
This followed on the remainder of a two day opened bottle of Folle Noire d'Ambat and, though pleasant, was much inferior in graciousness of fruit, complexity and Fronton typicity. Quite good.
2016 Expert Club Bandol Rosé - France, Provence, Bandol (5/26/2017)
As with previous vintages, surprisingly good for a supermarket's own label. Salmon coloured with a palate showing a firmer backbone and greater depth and roundness than with most pinks together with attractive ripe red fruit, rose notes and fair acidity. Good.
2014 Azienda Casale Daviddi Rosso di Montepulciano - Italy, Tuscany, Montepulciano, Rosso di Montepulciano (5/27/2017)
Enjoyable medium+ bodied Tuscan red, aromatically a bit closed at first but opening up to reveal nice plum fruit, some earth, decent acidity and backbone.
2013 Jean-Marc Brocard Chablis 1er Cru Côtes de Jouan - France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru (5/28/2017)
I confirm my liking for this Chablis which went excellently with a mother's day dinner of succulent Utah Beach oysters followed by Breton lobster, large gambas and bulots. It was crisp and saline enough for the oysters and round and fragrant enough for the lobster. Very Good.
2014 Château Le Grand Verdus - France, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Supérieur (5/29/2017)
Medium bodied but dull fruit and aromatics, lack of charm and quite acidic. Still too young? Maybe, but I'm not tempted to experiment by buying any more in spite of the modest price, c.€6.
Retasted on 6/1/2017, the fruit seemed a bit softer and sweeter but there was a slight mustiness and the palate is quite short.
2015 Niepoort Douro Fabelhaft - Portugal, Douro (5/30/2017)
Good robust wine with tangy fruit, earthy minerals, fresh acidity and backbone but, from my notes of the 2013, it does not have the same captivating complexity as that vintage. Just arrived last week and may have needed more time to settle down.
2015 Pierre Sourdais Chinon Tradition - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Chinon (6/1/2017)
This showed up the remainder of a bottle of Ch.Grand Verdus by its brighter and richer fruit, its minerals, charcoal tang, lively acidity and greater length and overall refinement. Good+.
