NV Catherine et Pierre Breton Vouvray La Dilettante Pétillant Naturel - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray (4/15/2012)
Nice pear and other white fruit on the nose and palate. It’s either fruity or off-dry Decent finish. Lots of bubbles. I liked this. I asked the Kermit Lynch rep how long they had Breton and he said they had Breton before Dressner but didn’t distribute them nationally.
2010 Domaine du Salvard Cheverny Rosé Delaille - France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Cheverny (4/15/2012)
Priced like a bleed off but tastes like full-skin contact rose. For $14 I wasn’t expecting much but this turned out to be a pretty good wine. Strawberries and watermelon on the nose. More watermelon and minerality on the palate. Nice balance and good finish. Light. This would pair with a wide range of food and also go well by itself. I liked this. A Kermit Lynch import.
2010 André-Michel Brégeon Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Sur Lie - France, Loire Valley, Pays Nantais, Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine (4/15/2012)
Definitely a rounder Muscadet. I drank this without having a layer of skin burned off the inside of my mouth (I’m looking at you, Marc Ollivier). Nice sea spray on the nose. Where’s the oysters? Nice minerality and lemon on the palate. Not especially complex but enjoyable. I would put this on my buy list. A Kermit Lynch import.
2009 Denis Jamain Reuilly Les Pierres Plates - France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Reuilly (4/15/2012)
An explosive smell of gooseberry and some grass. It didn’t seem particularly French because it didn’t seem very restrained. I don’t remember the last time I had a Reuilly, but it was nothing like this. On the palate, some minerality and some green flavors. Fairly simple It wasn’t a bad wine. It was unexpected. I would never think this was from the same valley as Sancerre. I didn’t like it but I could see how others would. A Kermit Lynch import.
2010 Catherine et Pierre Breton Vouvray La Dilettante - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray (4/15/2012)
This wasn’t showing much and swirling didn’t help open it up. My Spidey senses tell me a year or two in the cellar will help it blossom. It showed some honey and white fruit. It wasn’t as acidic as some Huet and Foreau from 2008 and 2009 I’ve tried in the last couple of years but there’s a nice core of acidity. There’s a good finish. I bought this. A Kermit Lynch import.
2010 Domaine de l’Aujardière (Eric Chevalier) Vin de Pays de la Loire - France, Loire Valley, Vin de Pays de la Loire (4/15/2012)
Candied, bright red cherry nose. I’m guessing the vines are young. Tastes nothing like Sancerre rouge. On the palate, definitely on the red fruit side of the spectrum. Balanced but simple. It’s not soft but it doesn’t seem to have the acidity common to European wines. Okay finish. This is not a long- or mid-term ager. I like it better than his stainless steel chardonnay. A Kermit Lynch import.
2009 Catherine et Pierre Breton Bourgueil Les Galichets - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Bourgueil (4/15/2012)
I didn’t dislike this, would could be an indictment of the wine. I almost universally dislike cabernet franc, especially from the Loire, because the green pepper taste is exaggerated on my palate. I got some earthiness and some tea flavors. The tannins were mild. The wine seemed especially light. I drank it but I didn’t like it enough to buy a bottle. A Kermit Lynch import.