The Fine Wine Review

Monday, December 10, 2018

New Address

I am re-establishing The Fine Wine Review at www.the-fine-wine-review.blogspot.com. Unfortunately, it is somewhat time-consuming to restore the old material from the hacked website. I will also be putting up new material there, of course. And if you've signed up for e-mails of new material for this site, you must re-register there for the e-mails.

Sunday, December 2, 2018

Hacked Update

I'm working on a new site with a different URL; within a day or two, I should have the new site up with information on this on how to access it. It'll start with new posts, but I also have records of the old posts and so can intersperse them as time permits.

Thanks to all for your interest.

Monday, November 26, 2018

Hacked

This website apparently been hacked and it appears that access to all the information is now not available. I will try to work to resolve the issue, but I do not have sophistication in this area and so do not know when the website will be restored to normal.

-- Claude Kolm, The Fine Wine Review

Domaine Hubert LIGNIER (Morey-St-Denis) -- 2017 Tasted from Bottle, Barrel, and Tank

Laurent Lignier said that he began the harvest on 8 September in Côte de Nuits. Some whole clusters were used in the wines. Malo-lactic fermentations finished between January and June for the large majority, but the Pommard only finished during the harvest of 2018.

The wines here were in cask and not racked except as noted. (Continue reading here.)

Saturday, November 24, 2018

Domaine Georges NOËLLAT and Maison Maxime CHEURLIN-NOËLLAT (Vosne-Romanée) -- 2017 Tasted from Barrel

Maxime Cheurlin seems to be adding new wines with each visit I make.

Malolactic fermentations were late here, only finishing shortly before I tasted; the wines had not yet been racked.

Wines designated with an asterisk (*) are negociant wines bottled under the Maxime Cheurlin-Noëllat label; others are Domaine Georges Noëllat. (Continue reading here.)

Friday, November 23, 2018

Domaine Sylvain CATHIARD (Vosne-Romanée) -- 2016 Tasted from Bottle

My description of 2016 vintage conditions and notes on these and Cathiard’s other 2016s tasted from barrel a year ago are here. As you can see, each of these four wines was at, or near, the top of the range I estimated them from barrel. (Continue reading here.)

Domaine Sylvain CATHIARD (Vosne-Romanée) -- 2017 Tasted from Barrel

Sébastien Cathiard said that 2017 was a much easier vintage for him than 2016. He began harvesting late, on 13 September, and finished on the 15th. The grapes were healthy and ripe, and he lacks only three barrels from a full cellar. The malic acidities here were low, with pH’s ranging from 3.46 to 3.58 and total acidities from 4.50 to 4.90.

There was a little chaptalization here, between 0.5 and 1.0º, basically to extend fermentations, and alcohols are around 12.5 to 13.0º.

Malo-lactic fermentations were slow, finishing between April and August. No whole clusters went into this vintage.

As I’ve earlier already mentioned, Vosne-Romanée and Chambolle-Musigny are the centers of the highest concentration of quality in the vintage, with the Vosne slope of Nuits-Saint-Georges not far behind. Cathiard’s brilliant 2017s stand as Exhibit A to that assertion. (Continue reading here.)

Thursday, November 22, 2018

2017 Domaine de la VOUGERAIE (Prémeaux-Prissey) -- Part II: Whites Tasted from Cask and Tank Samples

Whites will spend 3 months in stainless steel before bottling. None was yet bottled when I tasted them last month.

In addition to less oak than in the past, there was less bâtonnage (stirring of the lees) than before, a maximum 2 times per week, stopping in December.

There was no chaptalization in 2017, and alcohols are 12-12.5º.

As with the reds, this is a very strong line-up of wines. (Continue reading here.)

Wednesday, November 21, 2018

2017 Domaine de la VOUGERAIE (Prémeaux-Prissey) -- Part I: Red Wines Tasted from Cask Samples and Bottle

Harvesting at this biodynamic estate began on 28 August with Chardonnay. Once finished on Côte de Beaune with Puligny-Folatières, the harvesting then moved to the reds on the Côte de Beaune, and then to the Côte de Nuits.

The estate used less new oak (both for red and for white) in 2017 than in previous years, a trend I heard in other cellars, too.

Acidities are correct, but the malic acidity is low, as is typical for the vintage.

We start with the reds: (Continue reading here.)

Tuesday, November 20, 2018

Summary of Tastings of 2017 Burgundies

I’ve spent the past four weeks tasting 2017s in Burgundy and offer this summary. Reviews of wines from individual properties will follow shortly. (Continue reading here.)

Tuesday, October 30, 2018

2017 Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt

Before her untimely death, Annegret Reh-Gartner took steps to assure that this estate would continue to produce outstanding wines, and that’s been the case. This is one of the stronger sets of wine that I can recall from this estate.

There are no current release GG wines; as with some other estates, von Kesselstatt is holding them back for release next year, a policy I fully approve of. (Continue reading here.)

Sunday, October 28, 2018

2017 Willi Schaefer

This selection of wines constitutes a new first for me: I don’t believe that I’ve ever tasted through a range of several wines from a producer and given each one an A+ rating. The downside is that due first to frost, and then to hail that came at the beginning of August and hit all of the estate’s vineyards, there’s only 50% of a normal crop in 2017. So if you are fortunate enough to see these wines, you need to jump on them immediately.

Christoph Schaefer said that there was a very short window from ripeness to overripeness, so he had to harvest quickly. Additionally, the botrytis was often not what he wanted, and it had to be selected out. (Continue reading here.)

Monday, October 22, 2018

2017 Joh. Jos. Prüm

Unlike several of the other estates I visited, the harvest was almost normal — only off 5% from a full harvest. The quality is extremely high across the board, and the wines are due your most serious attention.

All wines were bottled between late June and mid-July. (Continue reading here.)

Sunday, October 21, 2018

2017 Schloss Lieser -- Thomas Haag

Thomas Haag said that as a result of frost, hail, and sunburn, his crop was down about 30% from a full yield. As always, the estate (which has now grown to 23 ha.) has remarkable quality from top to bottom.

The dry wines are all 12.5% stated alcohol, fermented with natural yeasts, and fermented and raised in stainless steel. (Continue reading here.)

Saturday, October 20, 2018

2017 Fritz Haag Rieslings

Production was 30% less than normal, said Oliver Haag. In part, it was due to the frost, but also, the juice in the grapes was less than normal.

This is an outstanding collection of wines. The GG’s especially are notable. (Continue reading here.)

2017 Zilliken/Forstmeister Geltz Rieslings

In 2017, production was about 15% less than average, said Hanno Zilliken. Hervesting began on 2 October. The wines are characterized by very high dry extracts; already at the Kabinett level, there are 30 g/l dry extract. This is a most successful vintage across the board. (Continue reading here.)

Friday, October 19, 2018

Egon Müller and Le Gallais 2017s

For a number of years, low yields have been a problem, and so driving the prices of these wines. 2017 was no exception, with a production of only 18 hl/ha. Thirty percent of the harvest was lost in the spring frost; the weather then continued dry until June, when there was some rain. Some botrytis developed in August, but not a lot, rather like 2006 and not as much as in some other years. The harvest was from 25 September to 18 October. Acidities are normal. (Continue reading here.)

Thursday, October 18, 2018

Maximin Grünhaus (von Schubert) 2017 (and 2016 Pinot Noir)

Riesling yield was only about 29 hl/ha in 2017 (half of 2016) because of frost that killed young vines. The harvest started 18 September, and the picking necessarily was fast because of rot in the vineyards. Acidities almost same as 2016, but different type, more herbal in 2016, observed Dr. Carl von Schubert. Fans of this great estate will find all they could desire in this vintage except overall quantity and lots of late harvest wines. (Continue reading here.)

Thursday, October 11, 2018

Württemberg GG Riesling 2017 and 2016: Aldinger, Dautel, Drautz-Able, Ellwanger, Haidle, Hohenlohe Oehringen, Neipperg, Schnaittmann, Wöhrwag, Herzon von Württemberg

Württemberg stood out as the one major region where I did not find a concentration of outstanding Riesling GGs from the 2017 vintage. (Continue reading here.)

Wednesday, October 10, 2018

Franken GG Riesling 2017 and 2016 GG, Part II: Castell, Fürst, Schwane, Stein/Knoll, Weltner, Wirsching

Here, too, the remarkable quality and consistency of the 2017 vintage in Riesling continues (but there are exceptions in posts to come). (Continue reading here.)

Monday, October 8, 2018

Franken GG 2017 and 2016 Riesling Part I: Bickel-Stumpf, Bürgerspital, Fröhlich, Juliusspital, Luckert, Horst Sauer, Rainer Sauer, Staatliche Hofkeller

As with further north in Germany, there’s excellent Riesling quality to be found in 2016 and 2017 in Franken (Franconia). (Continue reading here.)

Sunday, October 7, 2018

Pfalz GG 2017 Riesling Part 4 (Southern Pfalz): Meßmer, Minges, Münzberg/Keßler, Kranz, Rebholz, Siegrist, Wehrheim

This is the least well-known sector of the Pfalz, but not to be overlooked, nonetheless. (Continue reading here.)

Saturday, October 6, 2018

Pfalz GG Riesling 2017 and 2016 (Deidesheim to Haardt) Part III: Berdolt, Buhl, Bürklin-Wolf, Christmann, Mosbacher, Müller-Catoir

The parade of great wines from great producers continues. (Continue reading here.)

Friday, October 5, 2018

Pfalz GG Riesling 2017 and 2016 Part II (Forst): Acham-Magin, Bassermann-Jordan, Buhl, Bürklin-Wolf, Mosbacher, Siben

Forst is the Vosne-Romanée of the Pfalz (a region that has more than passing resemblance to Burgundy’s Côte d’Or). Both are the location of the region’s greatest vineyard and other vineyards of nearly equal quality, and both have high concentrations of high quality estates working biodynamically for their magnificent holdings. This selection of wines was a pure joy to taste.

Von Buhl and Bürklin-Wolf recently have been holding back wines one vintage, so this year they showed 2016 and next year they will show 2017. The non-appearance of von Winning at this tasting suggests that estate, too, will not release its 2017 GGs until next year. (Continue reading here.)

Thursday, October 4, 2018

Pfalz GG Riesling 2017 Part I (Northern Sector): Fitz-Ritter, Knipser, Kuhn, Pfeffingen, Rings, Schaefer

were essentially no wines that performed below expectations (not that there were many in other regions) and the two top Rieslings I tasted were from the Pfalz. (Continue reading here.)

Wednesday, October 3, 2018

Rheinhessen Riesling GG 2017 Part III -- Battenfeld-Spanier, Groebe, Gutzler, Keller, Winter, Wittmann

This set of wines was surprisingly mixed in quality, with some producers performing as expected, but others falling short. (Continue reading here.)

Tuesday, October 2, 2018

Rheinhessen Riesling GG 2017 and 2016 Part II (Roter Hang): Becker, Gunderloch, Keller, Kühling-Gillot, St. Antony, Schätzel

There’s somewhat more variability here than for other areas already reviewed, but the best came up with outstanding wines. (Continue reading here.)

Monday, October 1, 2018

Rheinhessen Riesling GG 2017 and 2016 (Bingen and Siefersheim) Part I: Kruger-Rumpf, Salm, Wagner-Stempel

Although these technically are Rheinhessen wines, the Bingen vineyards border on the Nahe appellation and the Siefersheim vineyards are not far away. As a result, these wines can be viewed as from an extension of the northeast segment of the Nahe appellation. (Continue reading here.)

Sunday, September 30, 2018

Mittelrhein Riesling GG 2017: Jost, Lanius-Knab, Ratzenberger

Mittelrhein wines are not often seen, but they can provide surprisingly good drinking experiences. (Continue reading here.)

Rheingau Riesling GG 2017 Part V (Johannisberg, Rüdesheim, Lorchhausen): Allendorf, Eberbach, Fendel, Hessen, Johannisberg, Johannishof, Kessler, Künstler, Ress, Wegeler

I found a bit more irregularity here than in the other sectors of the Rheingau, although the producers I consider best made the best wines. (Continue reading here.)

Rheingau Riesling GG 2017 and 2016 Part IV (Oestrich, Mittelheim, Winkel, Schloss Vollrads): Allendorf, Eser, Hessen, Kühn, Schönleber, Spreitzer, Vollrads, Wegeler

Continued quality in this part of the Rheingau. (Continue reading here.)

Friday, September 28, 2018

Rheingau Riesling GG 2017 and 2016 Part III (Hattenheim and Hallgarten): Barth, Eser, Kühn, Müller, Prinz, Ress, Spreitzer

Plenty of outstanding wine here. Kühn, Prinz, and Spreitzer are consistent stars of the Rheingau, but the others are also producing outstanding wines, too. (Continue reading here.)

Monday, September 24, 2018

Rheingau Riesling GG 2017 Part II (Martinsthal, Kiedrich, Erbach): Diefenhardt, Jung, Kloster Eberbach, von Oettinger, Weil

Generally very good wines here, with a few touches of irregularity. (Continue reading here.)

Sunday, September 23, 2018

Rheingau Riesling GG 2017 Part I: Flick, Künstler, Werner

This set of wines, kicking off the Rheingau presentation, demonstrates the excellent quality of the Rheingau vintage. (Continue reading here.)

Tuesday, September 18, 2018

Nahe 2017 Riesling GG Part IV: Emrich-Schönleber and Schäfer-Fröhlich

One has to wonder, is it just the excellence of these two great producers or was the western part of the Nahe the most successful subregion of the Nahe in 2017? Either way, all great wines. (Continue reading here.)

Monday, September 17, 2018

Nahe 2017 and 2016 Riesling GG Part III: Crusius, Dönnhoff, Hermannsberg, Schäfer-Fröhlich

Amazingly, all these wines, tasted one against the other, seemed just about equal in overall quality (the slightest of nods to Dönnhoff). It will be interesting with time to go back and see how they show. (Continue reading here.)

Sunday, September 16, 2018

Nahe 2017 and 2016 Riesling GG Part II: Crusius, Dönnhoff, Hermannsberg

Karsten Peter is coming into his own and putting Gut Hermannsberg (a successor to the old Staatsdomäne) back onto the map as one of the elite Nahe estates. (Continue reading here.)

Nahe 2017 and 2016 Riesling GG Part I: Diel, Dönnhoff, Kruger-Rumpf, Salm, Schäfer

Yet again, the Nahe shows outstanding across-the-board quality for its Rieslings. (Continue reading here.)

Mosel-Saar-Ruwer 2017 Riesling GG -- Part VII: Fischer, Geltz-Zilliken, Lauer, von Othegraven, Weiss

Finishing up the outstanding wines of the Saar in particular, and the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer overall. (Continue reading here.)

Saturday, September 15, 2018

Mosel-Saar-Ruwer 2017 Riesling GG -- Part VI -- von Othegraven and van Volxem

Who doesn’t like great Saar wines? (Continue reading here.)

Mosel-Saar-Ruwer 2017 GG -- Part V: Karthäuserhof and Maximin Grünhaus

Only three wines from the Ruwer Valley. (Continue reading here.)

Mosel-Saar-Ruwer GG 2017 -- Part IV: Grans-Fassian, Haart, Lieser, Weis

The riches continue as one moves upstream on the Mosel. (Continue reading here.)

Mosel-Saar-Ruwer GG 2017 (and a 2016) -- Part III: Fritz Haag, Lieser, Loosen, S. A. Prüm, Wegeler

This excellent group of wines includes a fascinating duel between the Haag brothers at Fritz Haag and Schloss Lieser. (Continue reading here.)

Friday, September 14, 2018

Mosel-Saar-Ruwer Riesling GG 2017 (and a 2014) Part II: Lieser, Loosen, S.A. Prüm, Wegeler

One can wonder if dry wines are the best use of these magnificent vineyards, but one can’t argue with the quality shown by these wines. (Continue reading here.)

Thursday, September 13, 2018

Mosel-Saar-Ruwer Riesling GG: 2017 Part I: Heymann-Löwenstein and Knebel

One of my favorite producers, Clemens Busch, did not show any wines at the GG preview this year. I’m guessing that he, like many other producers, is holding his wines back a year and will show the 2017s next year. (Continue reading here.)

Wednesday, September 12, 2018

Franken Silvaner GG -- 2016 and 2017: Part III: Bickel-Stumpf, Castell, Juliusspital, Luckert, Ruck, Weltner, Wirsching

Outstanding wines from both vintages. (Continue reading here.)

Tuesday, September 11, 2018

Franken Silvaner GG -- 2016 and 2017: Part II: Fröhlich, Horst Sauer, Rainer Sauer, Zur Schwane

More outstanding Silvaner here. (Continue reading here.)

Monday, September 10, 2018

Franken Silvaner GG -- 2016 and 2017: Part I: Bickel-Stumpf, Bürgerspital, Juliusspital, Am Stein/Knoll, May, Schwab

It’s still early, but many of these wines were showing quite well. (Continue reading here.)

German Großes Gewächs Overview: 2017 and Earlier

At the end of August, I participated in the preview of Großes Gewächs wines in Wiesbaden. My reporting on the tastings has been held up by subsequent tastings in the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Franken (Franconia), and Austria, but later today the first of my notes will go up.

The vintage generally looks excellent for Riesling, especially for the Pfalz, Rheingau, and many Mosel-Saar-Ruwer producers. The Nahe, Rheinhessen, and Franken also look good for Riesling. The Silvaners from Franken additionally are quite good. Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir) is a bit more mixed, but there are some very good ones. Weiß Burgunder (Pinot Blanc) was not as interesting as usual.

As in the past few years, many producers have come to realize that late August is too soon to release and evaluate the wines, and so they are holding the wines back an additional year. This means that for whites, many of the wines reviewed are 2016, rather than 2017, and for Spätburgunder, many are earlier than 2016.

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.)

Tuesday, July 31, 2018

Domaine Gérard JULIEN & Fils (Comblanchien) -- 2015 Tasted from Bottle

I have no previous experience with this estate, although I have seen the wines in some Paris stores that generally have very good Burgundy selections.

My understanding is that this estate comprises 10 hectares, mostly in Nuits and Côtes de Nuits-Villages, cared for in lutte raisonnée (i.e., organic except as a last resort). Son Étienne has recently taken control and is perceived as upgrading the quality. The cellars are located in Comblanchien.

My response on tasting through this set of wines is that they were good, not great, and this is an estate I would want to see more of. (Continue reading here.)

Monday, July 30, 2018

Wines from Provence -- Peyrassol, Pradeaux/Portalis, Saint-Andrée de Figuière/Figuière, Saint-Andrieu

All wines below are red, except as otherwise noted. (Continue reading here.)

Friday, July 27, 2018

Domaine Jean-Marc MILLOT (Nuits-Saint-Georges) -- 2105 Tasted from Bottle

Thursday, July 26, 2018

Domaine Anne et Hervé SIGAUT (Chambolle-Musigny) -- 2015 Tasted from Bottle

This estate practices lutte raisonnée in the vineyards (i.e., only use non-organic ingredients as a last resort). All grapes are destemmed, and use of new oak is modest: 10 - 33%. The estate produces two village Chambolles, six Chambolle premiers crus, two Morey premiers crus, and in white, a well-sited village Puligny (Enseignières).

The prices of top Chambolle (and Morey) producers such as Roumier and Mugnier has skyrocketed, creating an opening for less well-known producers to bring their wines to the fore. Sigaut is one of them; there are others in that category that I would more willingly search out, as I find some rusticity here and terroir expression is not strong. But still, there are good vineyards here, so this is an estate worth watching. (Continue reading here.)

Monday, July 23, 2018

Miscellaneous Southern Rhône and Provence Wines: La Bargemone, La Bastide Blanche, Fondrèche, Fouques, Le Galantin, l'Oratoire St-Martin

All wines below are red except as otherwise indicated. (Continue reading here.)

Thursday, July 19, 2018

Domaine Nicolas ROSSIGNOL (Volnay) -- 2015 Tasted from Bottle

Some years ago, I found Rossignol’s wines to be grotesquely over-extracted and over-oaked. They’ve improved since then, but still have further to go, in my opinion. Some others are more positive about these wines than I. (Continue reading here.)

Tuesday, July 17, 2018

Domaine HEITZ-LOCHARDET (Chassagne-Montrachet) -- 2015 Tasted from Bottle

Monday, July 16, 2018

Étienne SAUZET (Puligny-Montrachet) -- 2015 Tasted from Bottle

For the most part, this selection of wines seems more about the vintage than the respective terroirs. There’s a touch of tropical fruit to several of them and except for the Combettes, terroir is not a strong element. Perhaps with time they will shape up? (Continue reading here.)

Saturday, July 14, 2018

Domaine Y. CLERGET (Volnay) -- 2015s from Bottle

Thursday, July 12, 2018

Northern Rhônes Recently Tasted: Coursodon; Ferraton; Gonon; Jamet/Corine, Jean-Paul & Loïc Jamet; Perret

(Originally published 12 July 2018.)

With 2015 and 2016, we have two excellent vintages, with, in general, more freshness in 2016 and more power in 2015. (Continue reading here.)

Tuesday, July 10, 2018

Domaine de la POUSSE D'OR (Volnay) -- 2015 Côte de Beaune Wines Tasted from Bottle

Background on the 2015 vintage at Pousse d’Or and my tasting of these and other wines is located here. (Continue reading here.)

Monday, July 9, 2018

Domaine du CROIX (Beaune) -- 2015 Tasted from Bottle

David Croix has made very good wines whenever I have tasted them. That's certainly the case here, too, although one the whole, these wines were a little below what I had expected; perhaps they'd already begun to shut down. (Continue reading here.)

Sunday, July 8, 2018

Domaine ARNOUX-LACHAUX (Vosne-Romanée) -- 2015 Tasted from Bottle

My explanation of the 2015 vintage at Arnoux-Lachaux and review of the wines (mostly) from barrel is here.https://the-fine-wine-review.blogspot.com/p/originally-published-10-march-2017.html

As I’ve written before, Jean-Charles Lachaux has taken the domaine in a new stylistic direction and is doing an excellent job with it. (Continue reading here.)

Saturday, July 7, 2018

Domaine FOURRIER (Gevrey-Chambertin) -- 2015 Tasted from Bottle

As one would expect, another very successful vintage from Jean-Marie Fourrier. These wines and others are reviewed from tank and barrel here.

The compression of quality in the 2015 is quite evident with these wines, with not all that much difference in quality showing between the village wine and the premiers crus. (Continue reading here.)

Friday, July 6, 2018

Domaine Georges NOËLLAT (Vosne-Romanée) -- 2015s Tasted from Bottle

These are the domaine wines; two of the 2015 négociant wines Maxime Cheurlin made under his own name are reviewed from bottle here. Notes on both the domaine and negociant tasted from barrel are here.

(Continue reading here.)

Thursday, July 5, 2018

Domaine HUDELOT-NOËLLAT (Chambolle-Musigny) -- 2015 Tasted from Bottle

My review of these and other wines tasted from barrel is here.

The outstanding quality that this estate has attained in recent years is amply reflected in these wines. (Continue reading here.)

Monday, July 2, 2018

Miscellaneous 2016 Southern Burgundy Whites: Joseph Drouhin, Paul Janin, Héritiers du Comte Lafon, Marchand-Tawse, Robert-Denogent, Soeur Cadette/Montanet, Thévenet/Domaine des 7 Terroirs

(Continue reading here.)

Sunday, July 1, 2018

Paul et Marie JACQUESON (Rully) -- 2016s Tasted from Bottle

This is one of my favorite estates in the Côte Chalonnaise. Should you be lucky enough to come across the wines, don’t pass them up. (Continue reading here.)

Wednesday, June 13, 2018

More Red Loires Recently Drunk: Germain/Roches Neuves, Joguet, Legrand, Mabileau, La Madone/Bonnefoy, Porte St-Jean/Dittière, Sérol, Vaillant/Grandes Vignes, Verdier-Logel