Somebody said in some thread how they hate when people say they are “taking one for the team”, meaning a lazy excuse to open a great, ageworthy wine way too early. Well, I’m now taking one for the team here, but fret not - these wines weren’t great or ageworthy!
This whole idea came about when one of my acquaintances thought about making wine as a hobby. As he owns some land, he thought of putting it to good use and planted a few hundred vines of cold-hardy varieties that might both survive the chilly winters of Finland and maybe be even capable of ripening some grapes during our sunny (bot often rather mild and short) summers. Mostly he planted Frontenac Blanc and Frontenac Gris, but some other hybrids, too.
I have tried to reason with him, telling how probably the best course of action would be making Madeira-style oxidative fortified wines, because then he wouldn’t have to worry too much about the grapes ripening well enough or the wines getting oxidized or anything, but his plan is to make “cryo wines” (aka. ice wines, but rather freezing ripe grapes in a chest freezer rather than hoping for a cold snap to freeze the grapes on the vine).
Anyways, he arranged this tasting because he wanted to do his homework and check out what kinds of wines these hybrids make. He asked a bunch of his wine geeky friends to help him out polish this rather large assortment of hybrids, because it would’ve been quite a daunting tast for just one person. And, seeing how we really don’t have any wines made with hybrid varieties here in the EU, it was an interesting opportunity to get a glimpse into a wine world we never normally see.
(We also had a magnum of Cru Bojo with the food, but unfortunately that bottle didn’t make it to the final lineup photo)
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2020 Tongue River Winery Frontenac Blanc Cold Front - USA, Montana (24.8.2022)
100% Frontenac Blanc from Montana. Bottled in October 2021. "11-14% alcohol", according to the label.
Luminous, pale-to-medium-deep and slightly evolved golden-yellow color. A somewhat weird, sweetish, even subtly oxidative nose with aromas of tinned apricots, some caramel tones, a little bit of honeyed richness, light developed waxy nuances and a hint of currant jelly. The wine is acid-driven, quite crisp and dry-to-slightly off-dry on the palate with a medium body and flavors of lemony citrus fruits and sharp green apple tones, some waxy tones, a little bit of apricots, light oxidative notes of caramel, a hint of fresh white fruits and a touch of something grapey. The overall feel is somehow quite ripe, even suggestive of sweetness, but the acidity feels very raw, sharp and aggressive, almost unripe. The finish is quite long, rather tart and pretty dry with incisive flavors of steely minerality, some waxy tones, a little bit of sharp green apple, light oxidative notes of caramel, a hint of Meyer lemon and a touch of pear jelly.
This was the second time I got to taste this wine in a short while, and it managed to leave an impression even less convincing than on the previous time. The wine feels relatively ripe - even slightly exotic - and thus suggestive of sweetness, yet its bracing, sharp and even slightly raw acidity stands in start contrast against this rich, sweet fruit character. Furthermore, this time the wine seemed to even show a tiniest bit of oxidative qualities - which feels a bit worrisome for a wine merely two years old. I must say, I'm not particularly impressed here. Feels overpriced for the quality at $16.
(80 points) -
2020 Tongue River Winery Frontenac Gris - USA, Montana (24.8.2022)
100% Frontenac Blanc from Montana. Barrel-fermented for a week, after which the wine has undergone a MLF. Bottled in August 2021. "11-14% alcohol", according to the label.
Medium-deep golden-yellow to pale amber color. Big, sweet, slightly oxidative and subtly funky nose with perhaps a bit unclean aromas of honeyed richness, some nutty notes of slivered almond, a little bit of minty lift, light nuances of ripe oranges and a hint of tangerine juice. The wine feels crisp, somewhat evolved and slightly oily on the palate with a moderately full body and a bit awkward flavors of beeswax, some lemony citrus notes, a little bit of sharp Granny Smith apple, light steely mineral notes and a hint of honeyed richness. The sharp, even slightly aggressive acidity lends great sense of structure to the wine, but at the same time gets a bit juxtaposed against the rich fruity notes. The finish is quite long, rather tart and subtly oxidative with flavors of sharp Granny Smith apple and lemony citrus fruits, some steely mineral tones, a little bit of oxidative nuttiness and light honeyed nuances.
This wine was quite similar to the 2020 Tongue River Cold Front that we tasted next to it, only exhibiting a little bit more richness and breadth than the Cold Front. That richness helped the wine balance out that rather sharp, quite raw and even a bit aggressive acidity, but only marginally. The overall feel is just rather awkward and also a bit more oxidative than I'd want a white wine only 2 years old to be. Not a particularly impressive wine and also feels somewhat expensive for the quality at $16.
(81 points) -
2020 Parallel 44 Frontenac Blanc - USA, Wisconsin, Wisconsin Ledge (24.8.2022)
The fourth vintage of this semi-dry Frontenac Blanc from Wisconsin Ledge. 12,3% alcohol.
Youthful, pale lime-green color. The nose feels youthful and somewhat primary with aromas of ripe pear and pear drops, some sappy herbal tones, a little bit of sour apple candy and light creamy tones. The wine is broad, youthful and lean yet not tart on the palate with a full body and dry-ish to off-dry flavors of grape juice, some pear jam, a little bit of sappy herbal character, light foxy nuances of blackcurrants, a hint of candied primary character and a touch of tangy salinity. The overall feel is very acid-driven, but not overtly so. The medium-long finish is off-dry with primary flavors of pear drops, some apple jam, light foxy notes of currant candies and a hint of tangy salinity.
A pleasant and quite vinous effort for a Frontenac Blanc. Nothing special, though - the wine drinks like a young, primary and somewhat anonymous everyday white wine. Furthermore, this is one of the few Frontenacs I've tasted that have exhibited a faint foxy note, reminiscent of blackcurrant jelly or grape soda. However, that note is only a minute nuance one probably won't even notice if not specifically looking for it. All in all, a decent and pretty enjoyable effort, even if it isn't anything particularly interesting or memorable. Perhaps a bit pricey for the quality at $19.
(84 points) -
NV Coyote Moon Frontenac Blanc - USA, New York (24.8.2022)
A Frontenac Blanc from vineyards close to Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence River in Clayton, New York. No vintage designation in the label. 13,2% alcohol.
Pale-to-medium-deep yellow-green color. Sweet, waxy and quite characterful nose with aromas of ripe golden currants, some canned peach tones, a little bit of honeydew melon, light juicy notes of vague white fruits and a hint of woolly lanolin. The wine is crisp, lean and somewhat austere on the palate a medium body and slightly neutral and even a bit dull flavors of green apples and white currants, some salty mineral notes, a little bit of something greasy, light woolly notes and a hint of unripe grapes. The mouthfeel is somewhat oily, which creates quite a stark contrast against the bracing acidity. The finish is tart and lean with a quite acid-driven and somewhat neutral aftertaste of green apples, some lemony citrus fruits, a little bit of damp wool and a hint of tangy salinity.
Meh. The nose is still pretty ok here, but on the palate the wine is quite a let-down. I wouldn't mind the bracing acidity, unless the wine weren't so dull and neutral, making it feel just unbalanced and awkward. The flavors are rather underwhelming, and when they aren't, they aren't particularly agreeable. Can't say I enjoyed this much.
(72 points) -
2020 Chankaska Creek Frontenac Blanc - USA, Minnesota (24.8.2022)
100% Frontenac Blanc from Minnesota, barrel-fermented to full dryness, aged for 9 months in oak barrels (25% new). Total production 84 cases. 13,9% alcohol.
Quite deep golden yellow color with subtle lime-green highlights. The nose feels sweetish and creamy with aromas of apple jam, some oaky caramel tones, a little bit of ripe apricot, light fresh pineapple tones and a woody hint of savory oak spice. The wine is rich, oily and quite full-bodied on the palate. It feels hard to believe the wine is dry, because it tastes very off-dry - borderline semi-sweet. Is there actually some residual sugar here, or is the oak just accentuating the sweeter flavors so much? There are notes of canned peach, some apple jam, light toasty oak tones, a little bit of creamy oak, a foxy hint of currant jam and a touch of beeswax. The wine is balanced with high acidity, but the high alcohol shows through quite heavily, making the mouthfeel rather warm, if not hot. The finish is rich, quite warm and somewhat sweet-toned with flavors of apple jam, some apricot, light creamy oak tones, a little bit of ripe pineapple, a woody hint of savory oak spice and an extracted touch of oaky bitterness.
This was an interesting case. According to the winery the wine is technically dry, but the flavors were so sweet-toned it was hard to believe there wouldn't be a noticeable amount of residual sugar here. Tasted blind, I would've immediately said this wine must have something like 15-20 g/l RS. Nevertheless, the sweetness wasn't here the problem - this wine would've been perfectly fine no matter the residual sugar, as it carried its sweeter notes really well. The bigger problems here were the high alcohol and somewhat excessive oak. Truth be told, this was among the best Frontenac Blancs we tasted - and I guess it was partly due to oak influence. Oak seems to benefit this variety. However, the oak influence was also one of the problems - even if the wine benefits from oak élevage, that 25% new oak was way too much - the oaky tones made the wine feel sweeter and the creamy caramel flavors of oak became quite dominant at times - and that bitter streak of extracted oak character in the aftertaste didn't help. Furthermore, that 13,9% ABV feels just way too high for a wine as delicate as this to handle. I think there's definitely some serious potential here, but the wine needs to be closer to 13% than 14% in ABV and it shouldn't see any new oak. This was a decent effort, but there's still some way to go. Feels expensive for the quality at $29.
(86 points) -
NV Coyote Moon Frontenac Gris - USA, New York (24.8.2022)
A semi-dry Frontenac Gris from vineyards close to Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence River in Clayton, New York. No alc% nor vintage designation in the label.
Pale-to-medium deep yellow color. Somewhat restrained nose with reticent aromas of wool, some strawberry cotton candy, a little bit of honeyed richness, light notes of hay, a hint of ripe Golden Delicious apple and a touch of something vaguely waxy. The wine feels off-dry and somewhat dilute on the palate with a medium body and youthful, somewhat neutral flavors of fresh apples, some lemony citrus fruit notes, a little bit of unripe white fruit and a hint of apple peel bitterness. High in acidity. The finish is crisp, dry-ish and a bit short with flavors of lemony citrus fruits, some tart green apple, a little bit of unripe white fruit, a hint of apple peel bitterness and a touch of salinity.
Meh. A mediocre Frontenac Gris lacking in depth and balance. It feels the wine is borderline underripe and the residual sugar is there only to add some semblance of fruit and balance.
(71 points) -
2021 Saint Croix Vineyards Frontenac Blanc - USA, Minnesota (24.8.2022)
A semi-dry Frontenac Blanc from vineyards in Stillwater near Minneapolis. 13% alcohol.
Youthful, pale lime-green color. Very sweet and rather primary nose with somewhat tropical and even quite candied aromas of pear drops, some golden currants, a little bit of apple jam, light grapey notes, a hint of ripe nectarine and a touch of green beans. The wine feels ripe, balanced and slightly oily on the palate with a medium body and youthful, off-dry flavors of ripe pear, some tangy notes of sour apple candies, a little bit of herby spice, light juicy nuances of ripe white peach and nectarine, a hint of pear jam and an exotic, vaguely Sauvignon Blanc-like touch of passion fruit. The rather high acidity keeps the wine in balance and lends it nice sense of structure. The finish is rich, juicy and somewhat primary with youthful, off-dry flavors of pear drops, some apple jam, a little bit of apricot, light grapey tones, a hint of passion fruit and a touch of golden currants.
A nice, balanced and quite tasty little Frontenac Blanc that reminds me of a very primary Sauvignon Blanc more than any other Frontenac Blanc I've tasted. The wine doesn't suffer from any unripe flavors, the acidity seems to be pretty much in balance with the fruit, the body and the residual sugar and the winemaking seems to be very sound here: there are no off-flavors here - which is not always guaranteed with these Frontenacs from the northern states. All in all nothing spectacular, but still pretty nice and enjoyable stuff, priced according to its quality at $16,95.
(86 points) -
2021 Saint Croix Vineyards Frontenac Gris - USA, Minnesota (24.8.2022)
A semi-sweet Frontenac Gris from vineyards in Stillwater near Minneapolis. 13% alcohol.
Pale-to-medium deep straw yellow color. Restrained, subtly sweet-toned nose with youthful, nuanced aromas of golden apples, some nectarine, a little bit of ripe grapey fruit, light notes of cantaloupe and a hint of lemon curd. Contrasting with the somewhat reticent nose, the wine is surprisingly intensely-flavored on the palate with semi-sweet flavors of pineapple juice, some honeyed tones, a little bit of grapey fruit, light juicy notes of white peach and a primary hint of candied fruits and fruit jellies. The rather high acidity keeps the wine effortlessly in balance and lends some nice freshness to the palate. The finish is juicy, youthful and quite long with off-dry flavors of grapey fruit, some pineapple, a little bit of white peach, light apple jam tones and a hint of nectarine jam.
A very nice, balanced and clean wine. Unlike so many wines I've tasted from the northern states, this wine is very harmonious and thoroughly enjoyable, free of any off flavors or unripe qualities. Although I normally prefer bone-dry white wines (unless it's a Riesling or a dessert wine), this wine manages to be very enjoyable and balanced despite its obvious residual sugar. Very similar to the Saint Croix Frontenac Blanc - perhaps just ever so slightly better. All in all, a nice effort and a positive surprise. Good value at $16,95.
(87 points) -
2021 Parallel 44 Frozen Tundra - USA, American (24.8.2022)
A blend of Frontenac Gris and Seyval Blanc. Vinified semi-sweet. 12,1% alcohol.
Neutral, quite colorless whitish-green color. The nose feels fresh, youthful and even slightly Gewürztraminer-like with its aromas of apples, some lemon-scented hand soap, light perfumed floral tones, a little bit of grapey fruit, a hint of ripe pear and a touch of star fruit. The wine is youthful, lively and slightly viscous on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and medium-sweet flavors of ripe pear and apple jam, some grape juice notes, light zesty notes of lemon rind, a little bit of steely minerality, crunchy hints of white peach, quince and star fruit and a perfumed touch of rosewater. The rather high acidity lends some freshness and sense of structure to the palate. The finish is fresh, quite long and off-dry with flavors of grapey fruit, some lemon marmalade, light crunchy notes of star fruit, a perfumed hint of roses and a sweet touch of canned peach.
Now this was a positive surprise! Normally Frontenac wines tend to be "quite good" at their best, but this was a very balanced, harmonious and serious effort that can hold a candle to wines made with Vitis vinifera grapes. Instead of being a generic hybrid white, this actually reminded me of those Alsatian off-dry blends with Gewurztraminer for body and perfume and Riesling for acidity. This is very enjoyable stuff, even despite its rather noticeable residual sugar.
(89 points) -
2020 Andriaus Diliauto Ledo Vynas - Lithuania, Vilnius County, Širvintos (24.8.2022)
This is a Ledo Vynas ("ice wine" in Lithuanian), made from a blend of Frontenac Blanc, St. Pepin and La Crescent hybrid varieties.
Subtly hazy straw yellow color. Very ripe, perfumed and concentrated nose with intense, sweet-toned aromas of apricot jam, some floral notes of roses and apple blossom, light grapey tones, a little bit of honeycomb, a hint of something malty and a touch of dried mango. The wine very sweet and concentrated yet not sticky on the palate with a medium body and very intense flavors of lemon marmalade, steely minerality, some sharp green apple tones, a little bit of fresh pineapple, light honeyed tones, a hint of ginger and a touch of pithy pomelo. The bracing acidity lends great sense of precision, structure and electric energy to the wine. The finish is long, crisp and electric with intense, sweet flavors of lemony citrus fruits and tangy Granny Smith apple, some steely mineral tones, a little bit of honeyed richness, light tropical nuances of pineapple and mango, a hint of salinity and a touch of candied ginger.
A beautifully concentrated, characterful and exceptionally intense ice wine with tons of fruit, acidity and depth of flavor. Although the wine is very sweet, its acidity serves as a perfect foil to the sweetness, effortlessly keeping the wine from coming across as sticky or cloyingly sweet. Superb stuff already now, but I have a feeling this wine will continue to improve for years - maybe even decades - more in a cellar. Exceptional stuff, easily the best Baltic wine I've tasted thus far.
(94 points) -
2020 Cellardoor Winery Late Harvest - USA, Maine (24.8.2022)
A blend of Frontenac Blanc (50%) and Frontenac Gris (50%) from Lincolnville, Maine. Harvested on November 7th, 2020 at 27° Brix. Fermented and aged in stainless steel. 10,1% alcohol, 101 g/l residual sugar, 11,4 g/l acidity and pH 3,07 (data sheet). Bottled in the summer of 2021. Total production 392 cases.
Pale, limpid lemon-yellow color. Somewhat dull, waxy and perhaps slightly oxidative nose of beeswax, some bruised quince, light honeyed tones and a hint of something spicy. The wine is sweet, juicy and slightly extracted with a moderately full body and balanced flavors of ripe citrus fruits and freshly pressed apple juice, some bitter notes of pink grapefruit, light grapey tones, a little bit of wildhoney, a phenolic hint of extracted waxy bitterness and a fragrant, green-toned touch of basil. The rather pronounced acidity is nicely in balance with the sweetness. The finish is youthful, sweet and quite acid-driven with rather intense but also somewhat linear flavors of lemony citrus fruits, some grapey tones, a little bit of pineapple and light apple juice tones.
A nice, enjoyably crisp and also positively intense late harvest wine that comes across as a bit simple and linear in character. Furthermore, the overall feel is quite youthful, yet the nose felt a bit dull and evolved compared to the nose, making me wonder if this wine is really that ageworthy. This is a nice and enjoyable effort, but ultimately nothing particularly special - especially if compared to any world-class dessert wines. Feels a tad expensive for the quality at $27 for a half bottle.
(85 points) -
NV Cold Country Frontenac Gris Ice Wine - USA, Wisconsin, Wisconsin Ledge (24.8.2022)
This is a curious case: the label doesn't mention the vintage and while the back label says the grapes are harvested on 27th of December, it never says a word about the vintage. So the wine is definitely from a single vintage, but without knowing the vintage, I'll go with N.V. The wine is made with late-harvested, partially frozen Frontenac Gris grapes and it is 13% in alcohol and 140 g/l in residual sugar.
Medium-deep, luminous golden-yellow color. The nose feels quite sweet but also rather orange wine-like with rather concentrated aromas of resinous phenolic character, some ripe orange, light smoky tones, a little bit of beeswax, a hint of poached pears and a touch of leathery funk. Aroma-wise not the most typical ice wine. The wine feels broad, sweet and quite concentrated on the palate with a full body and bold flavors of lemon marmalade, some saline mineral notes, a little bit of fresh, tart orange, light tropical notes of fruit salad, a hint of freshly pressed apple juice and a touch of borderline unripe pineapple. The rather high acidity lends the wine good sense of balance and structure. The finish is bright, sweet and quite acid-driven with flavors of fruit cocktail and pineapple, some apple jam tones, a little bit of honey, light syrupy tones, a hint of bruised pear and a touch of lemon marmalade.
A bold, rich and enjoyably balanced ice wine that had perhaps a bit odd, slightly phenolic and somewhat funky nose, but a clean and vibrant taste. Good stuff with nice sense of complexity - although the wine still doesn't really offer the same kind of depth, complexity and intensity as, say, German Eisweinen. While a tasty effort in its own right, the wine feels somewhat expensive for the quality at $49,95 for a half bottle.
(88 points) -
2021 Cold Country Frontenac Blanc Ice Wine - USA, Wisconsin, Wisconsin Ledge (24.8.2022)
100% Frontenac Blanc from Wisconsin Ledge. The wine is harvested on 15th of December, 2020 at 42° Brix. 7,2% alcohol and 210 g/l residual sugar.
Medium-deep golden yellow color with a deeper syrupy core. The nose feels very sweet and noticeably intense with pronounced aromas of acacia honey and damson liqueur, some green currant juice tones, a little bit of caramel, light floral notes of summer meadow flowers and a hint of stewed yellow fruits. The wine is ridiculously concentrated, sweet and oily on the palate with very pronounced flavors of honey and apple jam, followed by more subtle nuances of freshly pressed apple juice, light notes of beeswax, a little bit of overripe peach, a hint of grapey fruit and a touch of canned pineapple. The overall feel is quite viscous, a bit heavy and moderately sticky with a medium-to-moderately high acidity. The finish is very sweet, rich and sticky with lush flavors of honey, pineapple juice concentrate, some freshly pressed apple juice tones, a little bit of overripe peach, light beeswaxy tones and a hint of orange marmalade.
A very nice, clean and vibrant dessert wine from the rather unctuous end. This is really sweet, sticky and even somewhat heavy stuff - even if the wine does manage to retains some sense of balance with its acidity. However, with this much acidity, the wine could really use some additional zip - once the RS goes up to 200 g/l and over it, there's really no limit how much acid there can be in the wine! This could've been really fantastic stuff with more acidity - now, as a viscous and somewhat unctuous dessert wine, it's just "very good". I can imagine the wine actually benefiting from some aging, although it is drinking really nicely right now. However, at $59,95 for a half bottle, the wine does feel a tad expensive for the quality.
(89 points) -
2017 Chankaska Creek Frostbite - USA, Minnesota (24.8.2022)
100% Frontenac Blanc made with grapes that were frozen for 2 months. The grapes that were pressed yielded must which was at 35,5° Brix. Fermented and aged for 21 months in a combination of new and used French oak barrels. 14,1% alcohol.
Deep, luminous amber color. Odd, robust and rather boozy nose with aromas of bruised apples, some peach jam, a little bit of roasted nuts, light creamy notes of oak and a hint of phenolic spice. The wine is very ripe, concentrated and somewhat toasty on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and sweet flavors of overripe nectarine and spicy red apple, some maple syrup tones, a little bit of beeswax, light lemony notes of citrus fruits, a hint of toasty oak spice and a touch of boozy alcohol. The moderately high acidity keeps the wine somewhat in balance, but the overall impression is still rather heavy, viscous and slightly sticky. The high alcohol makes the wine feel quite hot in addition to the boozy flavors. The finish is rich, somewhat sticky and quite hot with sweet and quite lengthy flavors of honey and beeswax, some overripe apple, a little bit of pineapple, light peach jam tones, a hint of maple syrup and a touch of toasty oak spice.
Although a dessert wine, this is so hot and heavy, the wine gives an impression of a fortified wine. This is still drinkable, but as a whole, this is a bit too hot, heavy and unbalanced for my taste. I think this would've been better if the wine hadn't seen that much oak and if the grapes weren't as frozen - there's just too much sugar here. Even if the yeasts have fermented as much as they can (based on how the wine is +14% ABV), it feels still too heavy, sweet and sticky for the acidity. The wine would've called a bit less sweetness and noticeably lower levels of alcohol. All in all, a somewhat mediocre effort; can't say I'm a fan.
(83 points) -
NV Cold Country Frontenac Sweet Red Dessert Wine - USA, American (24.8.2022)
A "Port-style" sweet red wine made from Frontenac - I assume that means fortified red wine. Curiously the front nor the back label don't say a single word about the vintage nor the ABV, but at least the producer website says the wine is 16% in alcohol. Nothing else, though.
Deep, youthful and almost completely opaque ruby-red color with a luminous purple hue. The nose feels rich, quite inky and somewhat primary with aromas of plums, some earthy spices, a little bit of savory wood, light blueberry tones, a hint of animale and a boozy touch of alcohol. The wine is sweet, youthful and surprisingly fresh on the palate with a medium body and rich flavors of blueberry jam, some boysenberry juice, a little bit of cherry marmalade, light boozy notes of alcohol, a savory hint of earthy spice and a touch of overripe blackberry. The wine is high in acidity with no tannins whatsoever. The finish is sweet, somewhat sticky and a little bit hot with lengthy and slightly acid-driven flavors of cherry marmalade, some funky tones, a little bit of blueberry juice, light notes of earthy spices, and a hint of boysenberry jam.
A surprisingly nice sweet red wine, although not particularly "Port-style", if you ask me - I'd say a wine made in a Port style should pack a lot more power, body and tannic structure. This drank more like a simple, youthful dessert wine made from red grapes. Nothing bad at that, mind you. The nose made me a bit wary, with its rather candied primary notes and slightly funky nuances, but on the palate the wine turned out to be surprisingly fresh, balanced and harmonious. All in all, a nice and sophisticated little red dessert wine. Nothing too complex, but nothing too shabby either. Priced according to its quality at $20,75.
(87 points) -
2019 Louis Philibert Chiroubles - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Chiroubles (24.8.2022)
13% alcohol. Served from a magnum.
Dark, somewhat translucent cherry-red color. Ripe, quite perfumed and rather sweet-toned nose with aromas of juicy blackberries, some black cherries, a little bit of dark plummy fruit, light floral nuances and a hint of blood. The wine feels ripe, youthful and juicy on the palate with a medium body and even slightly primary flavors of blueberries, some blackberry, a little bit of blood, light gravelly mineral tones and a hint of vague spicy character. Nice, moderately high acidity take care of the structure, as there are no tannins to speak of. The finish is lively, juicy and crunchy with moderately long and quite sweet-toned yet enjoyably airy flavors of blackberries, some red plums, a little bit of brambly black raspberry and a hint of stony minerality.
A nice, fresh and balanced Cru Beaujolais. The wine is definitely on the ripe side of things, but fortunately it doesn't come across as soft, jammy or excessively alcoholic. Typical of Chiroubles, the wine is pretty light and linear - nothing that'd blow you socks off, but something that works like a charm with all kinds of different dishes.
(87 points)
Posted from CellarTracker