Phil’s Extended French Wine Vacation: Tasting Notes

My tasting notes on the wines which impressed me the most during this trip.

Read about my trip here!

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In Champagne

At Tattinger

2014 Comtes de Champagne Grands Crus – Blanc de BlancsGolden colour.  

Very fine fizz.  Nice complex and attractive nose of honey, toast, yeast, citrus and stewed fruit.  Surprisingly youthful for its age.  Still opening up.  Nice long finish. However, this is a quite expensive wine at 250 Euro.

At Tienot

2015 Cuvee Origine Pale straw colour.  

Nice fine fizz.  Complex nose of apple, honey, almond, toast with a hint of vanilla.  Nicely balanced acidity and mouthfeel.  Nice long finish.

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In Burgundy

At Chablis

2022 Drouhin-Vaudon Chablis Grand Cru Vaudesir

Pale golden yellow colour.  Nose of minerals, seashell, slightly nutty with hints of vanilla.  Nice acidity balanced with a nice round saline mouthfeel.  Very complex in the nose and on the palate.  Very nice long finish.

At Joseph Drouhin

2022 Saint-Romain

This is the biggest discovery for me on this trip.  This wine drinks like a Mersault, but at less than half the price.  Avery fine village wine.  I will have more to say on this village a bit later in this piece.

2022 Puligny-Montrachet Clos del La Garenne 1 Cru

Golden straw colour.  Nose of citrus, nuts, minerals, and fine salinity on the palate.  Nice round mouthfeel balanced with good acidity.  Long finish; a very impressive wine.

2022 Beaune Clos les Mouches

This is one of Drouhin’s well known calling card wine.  Deep red garnet colour.  Nose of red and black fruit.  Finely integrated tannins, slightly dusty.  Mushrooms, herbs, forest floor.  Long finish.

2019 Chambolle-Musigny

Red garnet colour.  Nose of black fruit, herbs, clove, plums, cocoa and coffee.  Medium body with well integrated tannins.  Nice long finish.  Beautiful wine with lunch.

At Olivier Leflaive

2020 Santenay.

This is a simple village wine which drinks like a 1Cru.  Very nice with lunch.

At Chateau de Mersault

2022 Bourgogne Clos du ChateauThis is a simple Bourgogne, but drinks like a declassified Mersault.  Golden colour.  Nose of citrus, green apple, with hints of pineapple, lychees, pears and peaches.  Very seductive nose.  Medium finish.

2022 Les Charmes Dessus, Mersault 1 CruSlightly pale gold colour.  Very attractive nose of green apple, citrus, peaches pears with a hint of honey.  Sweet nectar on the palate.  Nice acidity.  Long finish and slowly opens up to opulence.

2020 Pomard 1 Cru Clos des EpenotsDark garnet colour.  Nose of red and black fruit, mushrooms, coffee, cigar and wet earth.  Nice, sweet mouthfeel.  Nice soft silky tannins on the palate.  A very long finish which lasted for a good 30 seconds.

At the mansion we were staying, Peggy and her friend Alain hosted a tasting of various small producers.

2023 Domaine Chevrot Santenay 1 Cru Clos Rousseau

Red garnet colour.  Nose of red and black fruit, herbs and spices.  Soft round tannins on the palate.  Long finish.  The wine was still tight at the beginning, but opened up to a very enjoyable and elegant finish.

2023 Saint-Romain La Combe Bazin by Pascal Prunier-Bonheur

This is the second Saint-Romain I came across on this trip and another wonderful find. Pale straw colour. Nose of minerals, flint, almond, green apple, and citrus. Very complex nose. Mouth watering acidity and a very round mouthfeel. Very nice long finish.

2022 Les Crais Auxey-Duresses by Pascal Prunier-Bonheur

Golden straw colour.  Nose of apple, pears and peaches, almond and minerals.  Nice mouth-fell.  Medium finish.  Quite complex.  Drinks like a 1 Cru.

2023 Saint-Aubin Les Frionnes 1 Cru by Vincent Latour

Golden straw colour.  Nose of citrus, green apple, pears, peaches, minerals with hints of herbs and spices.  Nice acidity and mouth feel.  Nice long finish.  Quite complex.

At Domaine Chevillon-Chezeaux

2022 Nuits-Saint-Georges Vieilles Vignes

Dark garnet colour.  Very attractive and complex nose of red and black cherries, mushrooms, wet leaves, earth.  On the palate black currants with silky tannins.  Nice round sweet mouth-feel.  Long finish.  A very long life ahead.

2023 Nuits-Saint-Georges Aux Saint Juliens

Red cherry garnet colour.  Nose of dark cherries, mushrooms, earth with a hint barnyard.  Round silky tannins on the palate, well integrated with some black fruit. Nice long finish.  Love this wine.

2023 Aux Champs Perdrix 1 Cru

Beautiful nose of black cherry, coffee, mushrooms, cigar, earth and a hint of barnyard.  Nice burgundy colour.  Very nice long finish.

2023 Les Saint-Georges 1 Cru

Deep garnet colour.  Beautiful nose of mushrooms, coffee, chocolate, black fruit with a hint of barnyard.  Nice soft tannins.  Very long finish.  Very complex.  This wines drinks like a Grand Cru.

At Jean-Claude Boisset

2023 Clos de Vougot Grand Cru

Dark garnet colour.  Very attractive nose of cherries, mushrooms, black fruit, plums with hint of wet earth in the back.  On the palate sweet tannins with a long, long finish.  A powerful wine with a great aging potential.  Unfortunately, at 250 Euros, it is a bit out of reach.

At Domaine Anita

2023 Molin-A-Vent

For a Beaujolais, this is quite big and complex.  Deep purple red colour.  Nose of black fruit, chocolate, and coffee.  Soft tannins and nice mouthfeel.  Nice long finish.

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In Rhone

At Guigal

2023 Condrien  Les Doriane Golden colour.  

Nose of minerals, white peaches, stone fruit.  Round mouthfeel with nice acidity. Long finish. This wine reminds me of a white Bourgogne.

2022 Saint-Joseph Vignes de L’Hospice

100% Syrah.  Dark garnet colour.  Nose of dark fruit, dark cherry, blackberry, blue berry, mushrooms, vanilla, chocolate, coffee and black currant.  Slightly dusty tannins and a long finish.

2021 Chateau d’Ampuis Cote-Rotie

Purplish garnet colour.  Very attractive nose of mushrooms, earth, black currant with hints of red fruits, guava, and apricots.  Well integrated tannins and a round mouth-feel.  Nice long finish.

2021 La Landonne

This is one of the three Guigal signature Lala wines.  Red garnet colour.  Nose of black pepper, cassis, currant, other black fruit, chocolate, coffee and Christmas fruit cake.  Firm but well integrated tannins.  Nice mouth-feel and a 40-seconds long finish.  This wine is still young and needs time.  It is also quite expensive at 325 Euros.

At Chapoutier

2021 Chante-Alouette, Hermitage

100% Marsanne.  Golden colour.  Floral nose, with tropical fruit, apricot, honey, peaches, pears and hints of minerals.  Fresh yet complex.  Nice round mouth-feel.  Long finish.

2014 De Loree, Hermitage

100% Marsanne.  Bright gold colour . Nose of stone fruit, rock, melon, honey.  Heavier feel than the last one on the palate.  Buttery mouth-feel.  Long, long finish.

2020 Sizeranne, Hermitage

Purple red colour.  Black fruit attack on the nose.  Blackberry, blueberry, black currant, red and dark cherries, mushrooms, chocolate and coffee which opened to leather.  Nice round mouth-feel.  Soft silky tannins nicely integrated and balanced.  Long 40 seconds+ finish.  Beautiful wine with lots of aging potential.

2012 L’Ermite

Garnet colour with a hint of maturity on the rim.  Seductive nose of red and black cherries, leather, coffee, and chocolate.  Well integrated tannins and nicely balanced.  Nice round mouthfeel which felt like a hint of sweetness.  Long finish. Surprise for a wine that is 13 years old.

2012 Le Pavilon

Garnet colour.  Nose of fruit cake, black fruit, dark cherry, cassis and stewed fruit and opened up to leather, wood, mushrooms and a hint of eucalyptus.  Yet still very fresh.  Soft tannins, well integrated and well balanced.  A long 40-seconds finish.

At Paul Jaboulet Aine

2024 Croze Hermitage, Thelabert, Milo Blanche (meaning white mule)

50% Marsanne, 50% Roussanne.  Pale straw colour.  Nose citrus, green apple, and peaches.  Very fresh on the palate with apricot, and a nice sweet, almond finish.

2022 Condrieu Les Cassines

100% Viognier.  Gold colour with a slight green tint.  Floral yet fruit nose.  Violet and other white flowers.  On the palate, citrus, and green apple in front and floral in the back.  Opened up to more flowers.

2020 Saint Joseph, La Croix de Vignes

100% Syrah.  Dark garnet colour.  Nose of plums, black fruit, olives, black pepper, mushrooms and earth.  Fine soft, slightly dusty tannins.  Round mouth-feel.   Longish finish.

2020 Cornas, Domaine de St. Pierre

Red dark garnet colour with tint of purple.  Nose of black pepper, black fruit, fruit cake, and a hint of games and stewed fruit.  Black fruit attack on the palate.  Very complex and balanced.  Tannins are still firm, but well integrated.  Long, long finish.  A huge wine.

2020 Hermitage, La Maison Bleue

Dark garnet colour.  Attractive nose of black pepper, blueberry, blackberry, and plums.  Silky tannins yet still not quite integrated.  Powerful mouthfeel.  Slight hot on the palate.  Long, long finish at 40+ seconds.

2011 Hermitage, La Chapelle

Dark garnet colour with a slight purple rim.  Well balanced and matured.  Nose of black pepper, blackberry, blueberry, plums, chocolate, coffee, mushrooms, and spices.  Silky tannins and well integrated.  Nice round mouthfeel with spices.  Long finish of 40 seconds and more.

At Gonnet

2020 Chateauneuf du Pape, Homage a Marylione

70% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 8% Marsanne, 2% Counoise.  Red garnet colour.  Nose of red currant, red and black fruit.  Silky tannins.  Fruity mouth-feel.  Longish finish.

2024 White Chateauneuf du Pape

50% Roussanne, 50% Clielirette.  Pale yellow, almost white colour.  Nose of honey, pineapple, peaches, honeysuckle.  No wood detected.  Nice acidity, nice mouth-feel.  Medium finish.  Very refreshing.  A rare find.

At Chateau La Nerthe

2022 Cuvee des Cadettes

Dark red ruby colour.  Nose of red and black fruit, mushrooms.  On the palate, more black fruit.  Nice silky soft tannins.  Complex on the palate with black currant, blackberry and minerals.  Long, long finish.  You need to pay attention to this wine.

2005 Cuvee des Cadettes from a magnum

Dark purple garnet colour. Nose of mushrooms, chocolate, blackberry, leather, cigar, tobacco, and a hint of wet earth.  Soft silky tannins, well integrated and balanced.  Nice round mouthfeel.  Very complex.  Long 30 seconds plus finish.  Beautiful wine despite its age.  Still quite youthful with lots of fruit.