2019 Mansalto just arrived. I got 4 each of Chianti “La Commenda” #267, Toscana Rosso “Stroncoli” #277, Sangiovese “Bilia” # 278. I’m going to pop one now using my magic hand to pick which one since my wife is making chicken florentine for dinner. I’ll post on CT and report back.
I hope some other notes show up on these wines in the near future as well.
I should also add, Mickey and Cam did a great job communicating over the past 8-9 months where these wines were in transit, both publicly, and a couple of private inquiries on my part. The bottle ultimately arrived in perfect shape (at cellar temperature in my case) with good notice from de Negoce and UPS when shipping actually did happen.
Magic hand picked the 2019 Mansalto Chianti “La Commenda” # 267.
Here is my CT note.
Pop and pour off the brown truck at ~55 F. Tasted prior to meal, with, and after chicken florentine.
Light ruby color, excellent clarity. Nose is soft cherry. Attack it bright fruit, black cherry, a hint of herb, nice finish with subtle tannins and good acidity. Nice, true to variety, sangio. Not a lot of depth or complexity, but at $9 still punching above it’s price point. Hold or drink. Probably a 5 year drinking window, not much more. A good find by De Negoce to bring to its American market. Bought 4, and wish I had a case at this price. Scored 89 with possible upside.
FWIW, based on some details that Cam provided when describing a different wine, another poster pegged N.120 as coming from Ram’s Gate Bismark Vineyard.
I know this stuff is pending QC and should be shipping in the near future but wanted to ask a question. If i invite some friends over to taste through the 3 different bottles, is there any particular tasting order you would recommend…???
Beautiful Bordeaux Blanc Mixed 12-bottle-case
4 Bottles of - 2018 Clos des Lunes, Lune D’Argent Blanc - 93-Points Wine Spectator, 93-Points James Suckling. Clos des Lunes was founded by legendary Domaine de Chevalier winemaker Olivier Bernard with a sole focus on transitioning the amazing terroir of Sauternes and its noble anchor varietal, Semillon, into a glorious dry white. The Lune D’Argent bottling is a no-expense spared, barrel-aged and bone-dry blend of 70% Semillon and 30% Sauvignon Blanc from this Grand Cru terroir. The result is a wine of precision, grace and tremendous refinement. Intense and complex nose of honeyed acacia blossoms, exotic white fruits and citrus mixed with flint. The bouquet takes on deeper dimension with air turning more tropical adding mango and peach notes along with creamy guava and beeswax. The palate is rich, generous, ample, and intensely fruity, with very good tension. The Sauvignon Blanc lemon juice delicately coats the exotic sweetness (lychee, mango) of the well-ripe Semillon. The finish is a work of art, simply blasting with rock perfume, vetiver spice, lemon blossoms and guava. Decant for an hour or two or 24-hour decant recommended. Drink over the next 7-8 years.
4 Bottles of - 2019 Chateau Thieuley, Cuvee Francis Courselle Blanc - 91-Points Decanter Magazine
50% Sauvignon and 50% Semillon and aged for 9-months in French oak, this gorgeous, icon-level cuvee has the structure and depth age another 7-8 years. Its cracking open nicely now with two-years in bottle but a good decant or 24-hour decant is recommended. The bouquet is fresh and lively with apple and citrus notes complexed with toasty, flinty, mineral note s and a hint of mint. Robust on entry with flint and mint notes in a tightly wound structure and huge length swaddled in baby fat. However, guava and papaya notes complex the bouquet with air adding layers of vetiver perfume and rock as she opens up. The palate spreads it wings as well becoming fleshy with cascading layers of rock, flint, tropical fruit and creamy citrus adding perfumed mineral notes in the lovely retronasal blast. Magnificent stuff. Do yourself a favor, be patient with this wine and allow it to blossom. Drink over the next 7-8 years.
4 Bottles of - 2021 Chateau Sainte Marie, Entre Deux Mers Vielles Vignes - 91-Points James Suckling. # This old vine offering is a classically styled combination of 70% Sauvignon Blanc and 25% Semillon with a splash of 5% Muscadelle. The bouquet is fresh and pure with no oak influence. Complex aromas of white flowers, lemon crusted mineral, flint and riverstone frame passionfruit and citrus notes. Fresh, bright and lifted, the bouquet adds apple skins with air. Round and supple on entry, medium-bodied, this wine quickly turns crunchy and zesty, exploding on the midpalate with apple skin and pink grapefruit crusted minerality, citrus and rock that lead to a long, mouthwatering finish. Drink over the next 3-4 years.
315 French cab 2019. Shipment today and pop and pour, no decant. Served with a chicken and rice soup.
Clearly a more old world wine and not cali. More restraint than US wines. This may sound like a back handed compliment but honestly I don’t love French red wines (love their chards) even when we spent 2 weeks in France, I couldn’t love them and this what better to me than most moderately priced wines we had at nice restaurants in Paris. This doesn’t feel as ready to drink as the Washington and cali 2019s. Feels a bit monolythic and fruit forward. But with good acidity that i think will tone down by tomorrow. Tastes better than a random $15 Costco French wine with a 91 wine enthusiast score
Both just quick previews, no real tasting notes because taking notes at 8am would be socially questionable at my household.
#298 Paulliac 2020:
Don’t touch. Just primary red fruit and vanilla oak. There is nice tannic backbone of leather and cedar, but it’s a mess right now. I think it has quite a bit of potential but this is just infanticide right now. See you again in 2027.
I’m not sure why Cameron said this is ready to drink now. If by ready to drink you mean it’s liquid and pours from the bottle, then yes. But I don’t think you’re doing this wine any favors by drinking it now. Wait at least 3, ideally 5 years and try again.
#300 Howell Mtn 2019
This tastes like a very high quality Napa wine. Not jammy, sugary or overripe. Nice lift from acidity. This will go well with steak tonight, and will probably drink well and/or improve for at least a decade.
just wait…I just scored some '21 Grenache rose from Santa Ynez Valley…supremely elegant, crystalline, mouthwatering stuff! Should bottle in December but will have T1 release soon…
That’s more like it. I just quickly found this email:
“The wines from this shipment have been QC’d and they are be wonderful and drinkable now, HOWEVER if you give it a bit of time in the cellar (say 2-5 years) you will be rewarded.”
I fully agree with the “nowhere near ready-to-drink” statement!
The held summer orders are finally starting to roll in with cooler weather! Opened 2020 de Négoce Chardonnay OG N.245 last night. Notes of pear, apple, citrus, and wildflowers. Nice balance on the palate with pleasant acidity and tannins. Paired beautifully with roasted fish.
If N.298 is what some of us think it is, 5 years will still be too young to crack it open. When I got my 6-pack in, I made sure all of the bottles looked good and put the box far away in the cellar.
Got N.328 in today… Just wow! @Cameron_Hughes, you have changed my view on 100% new oak Cali Chard.
2018 de Négoce Chardonnay OG N.328 - USA, California, Sonoma County (10/28/2022)
More or less popped open from the back of the UPS truck after it had time to cool down in the fridge. I know this is still in the shock period, but it blew me away.
Nose of fresh lemon, baked and fresh granny smith apples, pie dough, garam masala, and a very pleasant smokiness from the barrel toast this was aged in. Full bodied, thick, plush, hedonistic, and deep. Palate starts out with a lot of lemon, then brings in cantaloupe and honeydew, then fresh honey, more of that garam masala mixture of spices, and finally a bit of peach and its pit. Long minute+ long finish starting with honey and lemon finish and a bit of that toasted barrel influence. That fades away to minerals and then the mouth starts to water.
I typically don’t like 100% new oak Chards, but this just changed my mind on them. I will wait a few more months before digging into these. I am insanely impressed with this. Going to leave unrated for now since I know from my numerous DN purchases that bottling shock is real and to give them a bit before making a final decision.
