The Fine Wine Review: August 2018

Monday, August 27, 2018

Recently Tasted Bandols: Bastide Blanche/Bronzo, Tempier/Peyraud, Tour du Bon, Terrebrune/Delille

Before moving on to German wines, I should clear out some of my tasting notes on wines of Bandol, one of my favorite appellations. All wines below are red, except those identified as rosé. (Continue tasting here.)

Friday, August 24, 2018

Off to Germany and Austria for Tasting

On Saturday, 25 August, I'll begin four days of tasting German wines, mostly Grosses Gewächs. I'll follow that up with some visits in the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer and Franken regions, then I'll be off to Austria for some more tasting.

I'm hopeful that I'll be able to have notes up beginning this Sunday or Monday.

Background on the 2017 German harvest is that it is an early vintage with low quantities, largely due to frosts in April, but in some regions also due to hail later on. Preliminary figures show quantities down 18% from 2016 and from the 10-year average. In the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, it was more serious, down 15% from the already short 2016 harvest and down 25% from the 10-year average. In contrast, Franken is an exception, with 4% more than in 2016 and 10% more than the 10-year average.

Tuesday, August 21, 2018

Philippe LIVERA/Domaine des TILLEULS (Gevrey-Chambertin) -- 2015 Tasted from Bottle

These wines are attractive for drinking, but present a conundrum for the Burgundy-lover because there is not much differentiation from one wine to the next; that is, they do not express individual terroirs. (Continue reading here.)

Monday, August 20, 2018

Domaine d'EUGÉNIE (Vosne-Romanée) -- 2015 Tasted from Bottle

The last three wines here are from the old René Engel estate. 2006 was the first year under the new regime, directed by Frédéric Engerer of Pauillac’s Château Latour.

In the past, I’ve not been enthusiastic about the wines under the new regime, finding them to be more like Pauillac than expressions of their respective Burgundy terroirs. Something may be beginning to change; I did find these wines are moving in the direction of terroir expression, although there is still a ways to go. But they are enjoyable to drink. (Continue reading here.)

Sunday, August 19, 2018

Domaine de VILLAINE (Bouzeron) -- 2015 and 2016 Tasted from Bottle

This estate, often cited as the finest on the Côte Chalonnaise, has been expanding in recent years. It now owns 36 ha, of which 30 are producing wine for the estate and 6 are rented out. (Continue reading here.)

Saturday, August 18, 2018

Domaine FAIVELEY (Nuits-Saint-Georges) -- 2015 Tasted from Bottle

My review of the 2015 vintage conditions and notes on tasting 2015s from cask at Faiveley are here, here, and here. (Continue reading here.)

Domaine LEFLAIVE (Puligny-Montrachet) -- 2015 Tasted from Bottle

This vintage was made by Éric Rémy. Beginning with the 2017 vintage, Pierre Vincent moved from Domaine de la Vougeraie to take charge of making the wines here. (Continue reading here.)

Friday, August 17, 2018

Domaine Joseph DROUHIN (Beaune) -- 2015 Tasted from Bottle

My report on the vintage at Joseph Drouhin and notes on tasting wines there from cask and tank samples and from bottle in November 2016 are here, here, here, and here. (Continue reading here.)

Thursday, August 16, 2018

Domaine Pierre LABET and Domaine du CHÂTEAU DE LA TOUR (Vougeot) -- 2015 Tasted from Bottle

These twin domaines are under the under the direction of François Labet and operated biodynamically. The domaines are a little under-the-radar, as quality is high. (Continue reading here.)

Domaine de MONTILLE (Volnay) and CHÂTEAU DE PULIGNY-MONTRACHET (Puligny-Montrachet) -- 2015 tasted from bottle

My reports on the vintage at de Montille and my notes on tasting the wines from barrel samples are here and here. (Continue reading here.)

Wednesday, August 15, 2018

Domaine Éric de SUREMAIN (Monthélie) -- 2015s Tasted from Bottle

Monthélie, just around the corner from Volnay, is a colder climate, and so it does well in warm years such as 2015, offering competition with the wines of its better-known neighbor. De Suremain is a top source for Monthélie, and there are also very good wines from Rully to be had here.

The two Monthélie wines bear the designation Château de Monthélie. (Continue reading here.)

Domaine Henri GOUGES (Nuits-Saint-Georges) -- 2015 Tasted from Bottle

My notes on vintage conditions and these and other 2015s tasted from barrel (and the white Nuits-Perrière from bottle) at the estate are here. (Continue reading here.)

Tuesday, August 14, 2018

Domaine MÉO-CAMUZET (Vosne-Romanée) -- 2015 Tasted from Bottle

My notes on the vintage at Méo-Camuzet and on tasting these and other 2015s from barrel and tank at the estate are here. (Continue reading here.)

Domaine Comte SENARD (Aloxe-Corton) -- 2015 Tasted from Bottle

This domaine slides a bit under the radar, but the experiences I’ve had with the wines have always been very good, and 2015 is no exception. (Continue reading here.)

Monday, August 13, 2018

Domaine RAVENEAU (Chablis) -- 2015 Tasted from Bottle

Impeccable wines, as always. (Continue reading here.)

Domaine Michel LAFARGE (Volnay) -- 2015s Tasted from Bottle

Lafarge continues as one of the reference points for Burgundy, a string that is unbroken for decades. But beware that like d’Angerville, the wines can go through long periods of slumber before they wake to show all their glory. My notes on these and other 2015s tasted from barrel are here. (Continue reading here.)

Domaine Marquis d'ANGERVILLE (Volnay) -- 2015 Tasted from Bottle

Simply one of the reference-point domaines in Burgundy. Pure purity. (Continue reading here.)

Sunday, August 12, 2018

Domaine Jean GRIVOT (Vosne-Romanée) -- More 2015 Tasted from Bottle

(Combining two posts originally published 12 August 2018 and 24 November 2017.)

My notes on tasting Grivot’s 2015s from barrel samples is here. (Continue reading here.)

Domaine Simon BIZE & Fils (Savigny-les-Beaune) -- 2015 Tasted from Bottle

Notwithstanding the tragic death of Patrick Bize a few years ago, the superb quality at this estate continues. (Continue reading here.)

Saturday, August 11, 2018

Domaine Armand ROUSSEAU Père & Fils (Gevrey-Chambertin) -- 2015 Tasted from Bottle

My review of the vintage at Rousseau and tasting of these and other wines from barrel is here. (Continue reading here.)

Domaine TOLLOT-BEAUT (Chorey-les-Beaune) -- 2015 Tasted from Bottle

These wines are done well and provide accessible, pleasurable drinking. All wines below are red. (Continue reading here.)

Friday, August 10, 2018

Domaine TRAPET Père & Fils (Gevrey-Chambertin) -- 2015 Tasted from Bottle

Fortunately, much of those who drive the astronomic prices of top Burgundies have yet to discover the heights to which Jean-Louis Trapet has taken this venerable estate. This is a super sample of wines, and as you can see from my notes on vintage conditions on these and other Trapet wines from barrel and bottle following my November 2016 tasting at the property, this is one of the elite collections in all of the Côte d’Or for the vintage.

As with many 2015s, these wines have already begun to close, but there is a brilliant future for them. (Continue reading here.)

Domaine Bruno CLAIR (Marsannay La Côte) --- 2015 Tasted from Bottle

This set, all red, is good, but with a notable jump in quality from the first two to the last two. (Continue reading here.)

Thursday, August 9, 2018

Domaine CHANDON-DE-BRIAILLES (Savigny-les-Beaune) -- 2015 Tasted from Bottle

Wednesday, August 8, 2018

Louis JADOT (Beaune) -- 2015 from bottle

My reviews of 2015 Jadot wines tasted from barrel are here, here, here, and here. (Continue reading here.)

Sunday, August 5, 2018

Domaine des Comtes LAFON (Meursault) -- 2015 Tasted from Bottle

My reports on vintage conditions and tasting of these and the other Lafon wines of 2015 from barrel are here and here. (Continuereading here.)

Friday, August 3, 2018

Pierre-Yves COLIN-MOREY (Chassagne-Montrachet) -- 2015 Whites Tasted from Bottle

Thursday, August 2, 2018

Domaine Albert GRIVAULT (Meursault) -- 2016 Whites from Bottle and a 2015 Red from Bottle

This estate, dating to 1879, has been up and down over the years. It is best known for its monopole Meursault-Clos des Perrières, often considered the best part of the Perrières vineyard.

On this showing, the estate is producing wines worthy of attention. (Continue reading here.)

The Fine Wine Review