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2018 Philippe Bornard Poulsard Vin de Table Français Tant-mieux - France, Vin de Table Français (28.4.2021)
A biodynamic Poulsard pét-nat from Arbois-Pupillin. Bottled partially fermented at 8,5% ABV with the fine lees, not disgorged. Since the wine is Vin de France, there is no vintage designation in the label, but the lot number says TM-18 in the tiniest of fonts.
Very hazy to somewhat cloudy reddish-orange color. Savory, somewhat funky and slightly leesy nose with aromas of ripe red apple, some leathery funk and a little bit of ripe strawberry. The wine feels quite wild, medium-dry to medium-sweet and slightly fizzy on the palate with flavors of sweet golden apple, some ripe white fruit, a little bit of leathery funk, light blood orange tones and a lifted hint of nail polish VA. The acidity feels quite high, while - unsurprisingly - there are no tannins whatsoever. The finish is dry, funky and very slightly unclean with flavors of ripe strawberry, some fresh apple, a little bit of tart lingonberry, light gooseberry tones and a hint of earthiness that seems to evolve towards mousiness as the wine opens.
A rather generic pét-nat. Easy-drinking in style, but aromatically quite simple and straightforward. I guess this might’ve been a fun little drink upon opening, but I only got to taste the after it had been open for more than an hour, and by that time the wine had already developed some subtle mousiness in the aftertaste that detracted from the enjoyment. Obviously a wine that needs to be drunk rather quickly upon popping the cap. Overall I wasn’t too thrilled about this wine. (83 pts.)
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2017 Tony Bornard Au fil des Générations - France, Vin de France (28.4.2021)
2017 was a miserable vintage in Jura, so at Bornard they decided not to make any single-vineyard bottlings as they usually do, but instead pool all their different plots into one, large cuvée. This Au fil des Générations Blanc is made from Chardonnay harvested on 4th of September 2017. To emphasize that this is not a typical Bornard bottling, the wine is labeled with an old-school label with only a very small Bornard fox in the middle. Lot 35, 13,4% alcohol.
Slightly hazy pale yellow color. Ripe, somewhat sweetish and slightly waxy nose with aromas of juicy golden apples, some creaminess from the oak aging, a little bit of fresh peach, light crunchy notes of quince and a floral hint of apple blossom. Overall the nose feels pretty nuanced and attractive. On the palate the wine feels both quite full-bodied and surprisingly weightless, both at the same time. The wine is crisp and electric, having a relatively full mouthfeel, yet showing surprisingly lithe and piercing fruit, creating a stark contrast with the body. Youthful flavors of tart Granny Smith apple and sweet peachy fruit, some creamy notes from the élévage, a little bit of pineapple, light caramel tones, a hint of tangy salinity and a touch of savory wood spice. The bracing acidity feels very high, although it settles down a bit as the wine warms up in the glass. The finish is firm, dry and crunchy with bright flavors of ripe golden apple, some creaminess, a little bit of pineapple, light sappy notes of herbal spice, a hint of tangy salinity and a touch of fresh white fruits.
A very crisp, electric and quite weightless Chardonnay that has a little bit of that wild, waxy funk typical of Bornard wines, but no “natty” character at all. Considering how awful vintage the 2017 was, this is a remarkably clean, vibrant and precise wine, showing lovely crunch, beautiful saline minerality and remarkable intensity in the fruit. Overall the wine is still very youthful and nervous, contrasting the relatively full body with very tightly-coiled, high-strung fruit, but I can imagine that with enough aging the wine will start to resolve and over the years the fruit will flesh out the body. A delicious and sophisticated effort that needs some more age. Recommended. (92 pts.)
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2016 Philippe Bornard Savagnin Côtes du Jura Ouillé Les Chassagnes - France, Jura, Côtes du Jura (28.4.2021)
A single-vineyard Savagnin from lieu-dit Les Chassagnes. The wine is “ouillé” aka. “filled”, i.e. it is aged for a long time in oak barrels, but the barrel is topped up so that the wine does not turn oxidative, like the traditional “non-ouillé” wines. 12,3% alcohol.
Medium-deep lemony-yellow color, slightly more pale than Labet Savagnin En Chalasse 2018 tasted alongside. Cool, dry and slightly reduced nose with a hint of flatulent reduction, followed by precise aromas of sweet apple, some fresh white fruit, light creamy notes from the oak élevage, a little bit of steely minerality and a hint of chalk dust. On the palate the wine feels dry, firm and quite light on its feet with a light-to-medium body and focused but also somewhat closed flavors of tart green apple, grapefruit, some steely mineral tones, a little bit of creamy oak, light juicy notes of ripe nectarine and a slightest hint of volatile lift. Most likely the reduction makes the wine feel understated and closed. The overall feel is very firm, structured and acid-driven, thanks to the racy acidity. The finish is dry, steely and acid-driven with lengthy, mouth-cleansing flavors of steely minerality, grapefruit, some tart green apples, light mineral notes of wet stones, a little bit of chalky bitterness and a creamy hint of oak.
A nice, firm and very high-strung Savagnin that feels a bit too tightly-knit and closed at the moment. The reduction seems to make the wine stay shut like an oyster and only lengthy breathing in the glass seems to make it open up a little. Most likely the wine is just way too young to be enjoyed at the moment, and as it feels like it is built to age, this wine will most likely improve a lot in a cellar. Let it wait for another 5-7 years or more. Promising and quite enjoyable stuff, but if opened now, I suggest a lengthy decant. (89 pts.)
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2018 Domaine Labet Côtes du Jura Fleur de Savagnin En Chalasse - France, Jura, Côtes du Jura (28.4.2021)
A blend of Savagnin Jaune (75%) and Savagnin Vert (25%) from a vineyard planted in 1990 and 2003. Aged for 22 months in oak barrels and egg-shaped concrete tanks. Bottled on 21st of August, 2020. 14,4% alcohol, 7,2 g/l acidity, 0,52 g/l VA, pH 3,03 and 20 mg/l SO2.
Medium-deep lemon-yellow color, slightly deeper than the Bornard Les Chassagnes 2016 that was tasted alongside. Lean and surprisingly green-toned nose with aromas of apple peel and herbal grassy character, some key lime, light chalky mineral tones, a little bit of leesy yeast, a hint of creamy oak and a touch of green almond. I wonder if there’s a hint of acetaldehyde here, giving the nose a slightly green edge. The wine feels ripe, quite concentrated and medium-to-moderately full-bodied on the palate with intense flavors of pronounced saline minerality, some green notes of green apple slices and green almonds - perhaps acetaldehyde? - a little bit of creamy oak, light notes of exotic spices, a hint of cantaloupe and a mineral touch of wet stones. The bracing acidity lends great intensity and sense of structure to the wine. The crisp, long and tangy finish leaves a mouthwatering impression with its aftertaste of tangy salinity, tart green apples, some leesy richness, a little bit of stony minerality, light notes of sorrel and a hint of sweet oak spice.
An impressively structured, fresh and focused Savagnin, but at the same time a somewhat confusing effort - aldehydic tang is nothing uncommon in Jura (vins jaunes and oxidative whites), but to my understanding Labet makes ouillé whites and this wine is not supposed to show any aldehydic character. Of course it is possible that the wine is supposed to be this “green” for some reasons, but it still lends a somewhat awkward quality to the wine. I love the intensity, precision and sense of structure here, but the green edge does take its toll on the enjoyment. Perhaps the wine might turn out better with age, if the seemingly aldehydic notes would blend in together better with more aged characteristics? Or then we just had an off bottle. Whatever the case, I was slightly disappointed. (87 pts.)
Pale yellow-green color with straw-yellow highlights. Pungent, nutty and quite aldehydic nose with traditional sous-voile aromas of hazelnuts and curry spice, some sorrel, a little bit of lemony citrus fruit, light bruised Granny Smith apple tones, a toasty hint of baked pastries and a touch of smoke. The wine feels ripe, oxidative and very structured on the palate with a light-to-medium body and very intense flavors of lemony citrus fruits, hazelnuts, some sorrel-driven herbal character, light steely mineral tones, a little bit of mushroomy sous-voile funk and even a bit of rancid nuts, a hint of old, damp wood and a touch of wet stones. The racy acidity lends remarkable intensity and sense of structure to the wine. The finish is intense, acid-driven and moderately oxidative with very long flavors of tangy salinity, tart green apples, some lemony citrus fruits, a little bit of sorrel, light nuances of mushroomy funk and a hint of old, damp wood.
A classic and remarkably intense Jura white made in the traditional oxidative fashion. Still very youthful in style, but nevertheless very accessible. Shows a good combination of youthful, lemony Savagnin fruit and oxidative sous-voile nuttiness. Wonderfully old school in every way. There’s a bit of slightly unclean mushroomy funk here, which bugs me a bit a detracts slightly from the pleasure. Nevertheless, a very enjoyable effort - I can imagine this will continue to improve wonderfully in a cellar. (92 pts.)
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2016 Domaine de L’Octavin Reine de la nuit - France, Vin de France (28.4.2021)
Unlike most of Octavin wines nowadays, this is actually made from biodynamically farmed estate fruit, not from purchased fruit. A blend of Chardonnay and Savagnin, macerated with the skins for 8 months. Vinified without any SO2, bottled unfined and unfiltered. As the wine is Vin de France, it bears no vintage designation, but the lot number says Lch/sv16, which tells this is a blend of Chardonnay and Savagnin from 2016. 12,6% alcohol.
Somewhat hazy pale orange color. Wild, waxy and quite lifted nose with aromas of ripe red apples, sweeter yellow fruits, some volatile notes of nail polish, a little bit of nuttiness, light exotic spicy tones and a hint of ethery VA. The wine is dry, very slightly effervescent and quite phenolic on the palate with a medium body and relatively angular taste of dry white fruits, some crunchy crowberries, a little bit of mealy apple, light volatile notes of nail polish, citrussy hints of pomelo and lemon pith and a touch of chalky minerality. The overall feel is quite balanced with the moderately high acidity and light, subtly grippy tannins. The finish is dry, slightly bitter and gently grippy with a rather linear aftertaste of fresh red apple, some lemon pith, a little bit of pomelo, light crowberry tones, a hint of chalky minerality and a coarse touch of vinegary roughness in the throat.
I admit that this is hands-down one of the best Octavin wines that I’ve tasted - but that just isn’t much. The overall feel is quite wild and rather volatile, but ultimately quite drinkable and, for example, not heavily mousy, like so many Octavin wines are. I enjoy the toughness and the no-nonsense anti-crowdpleaser character here, but overall the fruit department feels just way too understated here and the wine is dominated by rather bitter phenolic tones, making the wine come across as somewhat awkward and just not that good. A nice effort, but still quite far away from bullseye. I’ll give C for effort. (85 pts.)
Luminous, translucent pale raspberry red color with a subtle pomegranate hue. Cool and very natty nose that seems to suggest mousiness from the first sniff already. Aromas of red forest fruits, some grainy and nutty aromas of mousiness, a little bit of herbal spice, light spicy apple tones, a hint of earth and a touch of volatile lift. The wine feels lively, light-bodied and slightly effervescent on the palate with mainly acetic VA and grainy mousy flavors, followed by lighter nuances of crunchy crowberries and tart lingonberries, a little bit of red apple and a hint of ethery VA. The acidity feels very high, whereas the tannins feel virtually nonexistent. The finish is heavily mousy with an aftertaste of rancid nuts, grainy notes of cheerios and a little bit of acetic roughness.
Hrrrrr. This was a disaster. Normally one can taste mousiness only in the aftertaste, but you could say from the very first sniff that yup, this wine is going to be badly mousy. And so it was. Undrinkable. Couldn’t finish one small glass. I guess the wine might be good for the first few minutes, if you happen to like one-dimensional, acetic and slightly fizzy red wines, but after that the wine is going to be so mousy that you’re going to regret that you even put the wine in your mouth in the first place. A catastrophe. Avoid. (54 pts.)
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2017 Tony Bornard Au fil des Générations Ploussard - France, Vin de France (28.4.2021)
2017 was a miserable vintage in Jura, so at Bornard they decided not to make any single-vineyard bottlings as they usually do, but instead pool all their different plots into one, large cuvée. This Au fil des Générations Blanc is made from Poulsard harvested on 4th of September 2017. To emphasize that this is not a typical Bornard bottling, the wine is labeled with an old-school label with only a very small Bornard fox in the middle. Lot 34, 13,3% alcohol.
Luminous, medium-deep and quite translucent raspberry red color with a subtly pomegranate hue. Somewhat restrained, quite lifted and rather natty nose with aromas of ripe red cherry, some brambly raspberry, a little bit of ethery VA and a hint of nuttiness suggestive of mousiness. The wine is light-bodied, quite acetic and very slightly fizzy on the palate with flavors of sour cherries, some astringent lingonberries, a little bit of sweet, balsamic richness, light unclean notes of mousy cheerios and rancid nuts and a hint of saline tang. The wine is high in acidity with barely perceptible tannins. The elevated level of VA brings some sweet lift to the fruit, but otherwise the wine feels dry and crunchy. The finish is tart, somewhat thin and rather short with flavors of astringent lingonberries and rather pronounced mousy flavors of grainy cheerios, sesame seeds and Weetabix.
Oh boyo. Compared to the white iteration of Au fil des Générations which was pretty lovely, this red one was quite a disappointment. Not only does the wine feel rather thin and one-dimensional, as seems typical of red 2017s, but it also is rather unpleasant with its pronounced mousiness which does not just mar the aftertaste, but also creeps onto the midpalate as well. This was better than Tony Bornard’s Ouvre l’Esprit 2018, but quite marginally. Avoid. (59 pts.)
Luminous, translucent pale raspberry red color with a subtle pomegranate hue. Very timid nose with understated aromas of dark-toned forest fruits, some pomegranate juice and a sweet, balsamic hint of acetic VA. With some air the nose gains a darker-toned hint of marmaladey richness. The wine feels sauvage and quite acetic on the palate with a light-to-medium body and crunchy flavors of tart lingonberries and cranberries, some sour cherry bitterness, a little bit of sappy herbal bitterness and a hint of earth. The acidity feels rather high and it seems to get some boost from the vinegary sharpness. No noticeable tannic structure. The finish is is rather short, somewhat acetic and very slightly grippy with flavors of crunchy crowberries and grainy-nutty mousiness that seems to increase the longer the wine stays open.
Yet another disappointing red from Bornard. I’ve enjoyed Bornard’s wines in the past, but these red from 2017 and 2018 have been just big disappointments, one after another. Very natty and mousy wines with excessive levels of VA and almost invariably aftertastes that either are mousy to begin with or turn quickly into that direction. I don’t mind that the wine is surprisingly light, thin and limpid for a Trousseau, but I do mind the wine is almost undrinkable with its excessively acetic overall quality and unpleasant, mousy aftertaste. Not recommended. (63 pts.)
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2018 Domaine de L’Octavin Les Corvées de Trousseau - France, Vin de France (28.4.2021)
The front label says “Boire du Tr------- n’est jamais une corvée” and the back label says “Corvée de Trou-Trou”. It’s a real pain in the rear to decipher what is the actual name of the bottling. Anyhow, this is a biodynamic Trousseau made with early-harvested fruit from Les Corvées vineyard. Bottled as Vin de France as it is too low in alcohol for the AOC Arbois appellation. As the wine is VdF, the label bears no vintage designation - only lot number Ltrouss18. Macerated with the skins for 2 months, vinified without any SO2, bottled unfined and unfiltered. 11,5% alcohol.
Very slightly hazy and slightly dull red color that looks more like deep pink than light red. Rather odd nose, reminding me of cough syrup flavored with artificial strawberry flavor than anything vinous. Some lighter notes of sappy herbal fruit, sweet candied blackcurrant tones and a hint of rubbery reduction in the nose as well. The wine is ripe, somewhat sweet-toned and somewhat acetic on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and a slightest hint of tingly CO2. Flavors of strawberry juice, some overripe raspberries, a little bit of earthy character, a candied hint of Bassett’s wine gums and an acetic touch of VA. The medium acidity feels rather soft and the tannins rather easy. The finish is moderately grippy, rather unclean and quite unpleasant with a grainy, nutty note of mousiness that only grows in intensity as the wine opens in the glass.
Yet another disappointment from Domaine de l’Octavin. Although I’ve had some non-mousy white Octavin wines in the past, I’m starting to believe that it’s actually impossible for Domaine de l’Octavin to release a red wine that isn’t mousy. They seem to disappoint me badly every single time. (70 pts.)
Remarkably pale color for a Trousseau: with its very translucent and slightly hazy raspberry red color that is borderline dark rosé, I would’ve guessed this was a Poulsard instead of a Trousseau. Brooding, dark-toned nose with aromas of forest fruits, some earthy Pinosity, a little bit of savory spice, light black cherry tones and a reductive hint of gunpowder smoke. The wine feels ripe, balanced and quite light-bodied on the palate with slightly sauvage yet quite clean flavors of ripe black raspberries, some fresh dark plums, a little bit of cherry-driven red fruit, light notes of spicy Pinosity, a hint of leather and a touch of sweet balsamic VA. The overall feel is quite silky, thanks to the medium-plus acidity and friendly, gently grippy tannins. The finish is ripe, sweet-toned and quite lengthy with flavors of ripe black cherries, some blackberries, a little bit of earthy Pinosity and a hint of peppery spice.
A juicy, nice and balanced Trousseau - although I must admit that the wine doesn’t show much varietal typicity: based on its appearance alone, I would’ve guessed this was a Poulsard, whereas the aromas and the taste reminded me quite a lot of Pinot Noir (hence the multiple references to Pinosity). Honestly, the wine tasted remarkably like Pinot Noir at times. All in all, this is not a particularly complex or memorable an effort for a Trousseau and I would’ve welcomed a bit more firmness and structure. Nevertheless, the wine shows good sense of balance and the overall feel shows nice purity and vibrancy of fruit. It drinks very nicely right now, but I believe this could improve over the next handful of years if kept in a cellar. Quite nice. (88 pts.)
Medium-deep, moderately translucent and somewhat dull cherry-red color. Moderately sauvage, somewhat sweet and rather straightforward nose with rather one-dimensional aromas of black cherries, a little bit of ripe blackberry and a balsamic hint of VA. The wine is dry, medium-bodied and very slightly fizzy on the palate with rather natty flavors of fresh blackberries, some sweet dark fruits, a little bit of savory spice, light damp wood tones and a mousy hint of graham crackers. Structurally the wine is nicely balanced with its high acidity and somewhat grippy medium-minus tannins. The finish is fruity but also quite natty with medium-long flavors of ripe cherries, some juicy raspberries and a little bit of acetic roughness in the throat - until the unpleasantly nutty and grainy notes of mousiness overwhelm all the other flavors and make the wine end on a very unpleasant note.
Without the mousiness this would’ve been a relatively nice and enjoyable Trousseau, but even then the wine is a bit too wild, excessively acetic and slightly too fizzy to earn high marks from me. However, mousy as it is, I’m not going to score this wine high. Anecdotal evidence says mousiness would disappear with age, so hopefully the wine can age for 7-10 more years in a cellar - hopefully that would be enough to make the wine drinkable. All in all, this was a disappointment. (71 pts.)
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NV Philippe Bornard Vin de (jo)Liqueur - France, Vin de France (28.4.2021)
A Bornard take on the traditional style of Macvin - although the wine is not made according to the appellation rules of Macvin du Jura, so the wine is labeled as “Vin de France”. First, unfermented Chardonnay must is slowly heated in a copper cauldron over 48 hours to concentrate the residual sugar concentration. Then a combination of fine (distillate from lees) and marc (oak-aged grape distillate) is added to the must. Typically the distillates amount to half of the must proportion, so the final blend is 2/3 must and 1/3 distilled alcohol. Then the wine is aged in oak barrels for approximately 7 years. No sulfites are added at any point. The lot number here was JL-16. 15,5% alcohol.
Quite deep golden color. Quite robust and not entirely pleasant nose - quite typical of white Macvin - with aromas of waxy funk, grappa-like fusel alcohol tones, some wizened peach notes, a little bit of creamy oak, light herbal nuances of matcha, a hint of beeswax and a touch of caraway seeds. The wine is much more pleasant on the palate with its surprisingly intense sweetness, medium body and bright acidity. Lush, focused and quite complex flavors of apple sauce, honeydew melon, woody notes of cedar, a little bit of honeyed richness, light notes of waxy funk, hints of caraway seeds and exotic spices and a green touch of matcha. The high acidity keeps the sweetness nicely at bay and lends good sense of balance to the wine. The finish is long, sweet, slightly sticky and quite nuanced with flavors of honeydew melon, grappa-like fusel character, some woody notes of cedar and saw dust, a little bit of wizened peach, a hint of caraway seeds and a touch of ripe grapey fruit.
An interesting, nuanced and quite fresh “Macvin” that feels slightly lighter and more acid-driven than your typical run-of-the-mill white Macvin. The alcohol stays surprisingly nice out of the way, although not aromatically - the pungent and not particularly pleasant, grappa-like fusel alcohol aromas do remain quite prominent both in the nose and in the aftertaste. Hopefully additional cellaring might remedy this aspect of the wine. Despite all this, the wine is nice and enjoyable now and also shows good potential for future development in the cellar. Sophisticated, well-made stuff. (89 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker
