French Wine Tasting

Description

1-Andre Brunel 2023 Les Cailloux Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc Southern Rhone Valley France
Wine Spectator 94 Rating
Gorgeous and seductive, with a rich core of kumquat, melon and lemon verbena. The opulence is balanced and integrated with a fresh beam of acidity that cuts through, plus salted herb notes. Honeyed at the edges and delicious through the long, well-meshed finish. Roussanne and Clairette. Drink now through 2030. 415 cases made, and only 100 cases imported.

2-Claude Riffault 2023 ‘Les Boucauds’ Sancerre Loire Valley France
From a top parcel in Sury-en-Vaux. The 2023 version of Les Boucauds is a blend of both Burgundy barrels (several from Etienne Sauzet in Puligny-Montrachet) and larger oak. Because of the deep clay and limestone soils, Les Boucauds always has great mouthfeel and depth, as opposed to Stephane’s silex and caillottes parcels which are more linear and austere in their youth.

3-Olivier Leflaive 2022 Montagny Premier Cru Burgundy France
Wine Spectator 92 Rating
Impressive for its racy profile and complexity, this white reveals peach, apple, lemon and toasty oak aromas and flavors. Hints of butter and butterscotch lend charm and depth, while the finish echoes the spice elements. Drink now through 2029. 500 cases imported.

4-Domaine de Bila-Haut 2018 L’Esquerda Cotes du Roussillon Villages Languedoc Roussillon France
Jeb Dunnuck 94 Rating
Coming from higher elevation granite soils and just about all Syrah, the 2018 Cotes Du Roussillon Villages Lesquerde L’Esquerda offers stunning granite character with its cassis and black raspberry fruit intermixed with lots of wet stone, ground pepper, white flowers, and hints of truffle. Deep, medium to full-bodied, beautifully pure and elegant on the palate, with light tannins, it’s going to keep for upwards of a decade.

5-Domaine du Cayron 2021 Gigondas South Rhone Valley France
Vinous Media 90 Rating
The 2021 Gigondas shows well, delighting with fragrant red/black plum and black cherry aromas. Licorice, mint and cedar add further layers. Soft tannins contribute to a flawless mouthfeel, backed up by juicy red and black fruits. It should be approachable from early on and gain even more complexity as it ages.

6-Domaine Du Colombier 2020 Crozes Hermitage Northern Rhone Valley France
Jeb Dunnuck 93 Rating
The 2020 Crozes-Hermitage Domaine reveals a dense purple hue to go with a beautiful perfume of blue and black fruits, scorched earth, graphite, and ground pepper. This pure, medium to full-bodied, beautifully balanced Crozes has nicely integrated acidity, ripe, building tannins, and a great finish. Give it a few years and drink over the following decade.