Julien Pilon - Saint Péray - Les Maisons de Victor 2021
Not quite as good as his “Lône” cuvée, but half the price and very enjoyable as it is. Hazlenut, acacia and lemon on the nose, with the same on the palate, plus some refined honey midpalate and a long finish. Not quite as much depth or complexity as Lône, but like the latter, I’m impressed by the crisp freshness which I didn’t expect to find in a Rhône white.
I haven’t seen much about this producer here - has anyone else tried his wines?
Château de Malleret - Haut Médoc - 2014
Neal Martin was fairly scathing about this in TWA a few years ago and sadly, he was right. In fact, it has turned out even worse than he expected. The nose was fine - fresh red cherries and a bit of oak, but in the mouth…whoah, the red cherries are followed swiftly by bitter dark chocolate and some sort of rancid toffee flavour which hangs around afterwards. Absolutely revolting.
It’s a pity because I really enjoyed the 2010, but after this and the 2015, which wasn’t great either, I’m struggling to understand why and how this was promoted in the most recent Cru Bourgeois classification.
I’m anything but a Rhône white fan but for a number of years i really enjoyed his “Mon grand-père était limonadier” Viognier from Collines Rhodaniennes and “Dimanche à Lima” St-Joseph. I also own his Cornas and Côte-Rôtie.
2022 Jean Foillard Beaujolais Nouveau- France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Beaujolais Nouveau (7/5/2023)
Don’t think I’ve ever had a Beaujolais Nouveau so was interesting to have tried this. Was everything I expected it to be - fun, tart red cherries with a spritzy bite. Went well with Chinese hotpot. (89 pts.)
A 2001 Charvin CdP. Very tired tasting and it tasted pretty old and past prime - soiled leather. (I know someone that would like it!). But, I’m just losing interest in Rhone wines. I used to drink them regularly.
Last two nights. A check in on 19. So structured and concentrated as young Hirtzberger Steinporz can be. Needed two days to just start to come around. Leave it alone.
Opened this wine with our Sunday-on-Monday cheese plate, which featured a selection of goat cheese. The bottle presents an anonymous and intriguing and attractive label, and the wine presents an unfamiliar and intriguing and attractive taste profile. Like meeting someone for the first time and knowing there is something very appealing about that person but not being able to put the attraction into words. I left a glass to give it another ponder tomorrow night.
Massican Sauvignon Blanc with some age to pair with coconut rice & salmon. Good acid, lemon & green apple and has taken on some waxiness. Still beautiful.
Very dark ruby, viscous legs.
Initially touch of poopy brett that blows away after a while. Nose has blackberry, cedar, chocolate, smoke/rauch (the enjoyable kind, not taint), licorice root and oak.
Mouthfeel is just a touch thin but has lifted acidity and it is clearly young and still primary. Cassis, red/black fruits and cedarwood.
Finishes long and somewhat complex with cassis, cigar box and nice somewhat round tannins.
Obviously still young and on an upward trajectory. Amazing QPR Bordeaux.
Louis Latour Morey-Saint-Denis 2015
This is pretty good. Ripe cherries and fresh blackberries with some earthy tones on the nose. No noticeable oak. The palate is a little lush and fruit forward but there is good acidity along with red berries. It also shows a little bit of depth with spices and earth. The tannins are powdery and not invasive. A tad short and a little dilute on the finish. There is pleasure in drinking this now because it displays freshness and plenty of nice fruit.
The nose was quite promising, with citrus and white flowers, although there was something like overripe apple lurking in the background and sure enough, in the mouth the 13.7% ABV really showed. There is a lot more crispness than the 2018 which for me was an absolute car crash, but the lemon and stone flavours are dominated by syrupy tropical fruit, especially on the finish. Not undrinkable but not what I had hoped for.
Last night I tried to pass the Electric-Riesling Acid Test. I passed, but don’t suggest it. Wickedly youthful and full of citrus-spiked acidity and steely minerality. Lots of good material.
Was hunting the Pinot Noir (inspired by @Robert_Dentice), but found some of the whites from 2018 sitting on the shelves at one of my local wine stores. So had to try one.
This is great. Chablis like fruit profile just turned down a bit, which leaves more room for a mineral salty note. There is a minor, and perfectly, integrated oak note. As 2018 was his first vintage, I imagine it will be even less noticeable in newer vintages.
It is from Mosel so the acidity is high, even in 2018. He only adds very little sulfites to his wines, but this is as clean as it get. No funk. No noticeable VA.
