2017 Domaine du Bel Air (Pierre et Rodolphe Gauthier) Bourgueil Grand Mont - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Bourgueil (1/30/2026)
– decanted immediately before initial taste –
– tasted non-blind over 2 - 3 hrs. –
NOSE: pure red fruits – deep cherry, and boysenberry. Very light pyrazine; slight hint of funk; medium-light oak; braided rec licorice; ripe red fruits; hint of rubbed metal; touch high-toned. Complex. Overall, absolutely loved the Nose on this.
BODY: garnet-violet color of medium-deep depth; medium bodied.
TASTE: tannic; high acidity; still very oaky – like licking a 2x4; dark red fruits and some mineral tones, too. The palate would still benefit from additional cellar age, as this continues to be oakier than I prefer; that said, the Nose is making promises, and the palate does hint at future excellence if the fruit can last longer than the oak. Hold.
Do you remembers what stems exactly these were? They look great.
They are amazing, and I sadly don’t remember what they are. I can check with the bar unless one of you nerds can identify it just by looking—
A quick guess would be Old World Syrah, but I can’t seem to find a Riedel logo on the foot of the glass.
Velkommen!
Yes I also started with Riedel, but not entirely sure. Can find out, if nobody knows.
Jean-Marie & Noel Girard
Domaine du Vieux Bourg Saumur Champigny VV 2018
More black- than red fruited. Notes of tar, leather, coconut. Nice acidity, tannins mellowed out but still hanging there. An alcoholic but cool note running through, like Sardinian Mirto. Chewy and dense without being satiating.
A solid bottle, if not necessarily worth chasing.
