I had the pleasure of getting together with a good friend and his buddy and a former colleague on Friday to drink a little wine. We usually set some type of theme. In this case, friend’s buddy is a big Cali fan but wanted to learn more about french wine. We all agreed we’d bring a little something different to give a very 50,000 foot view of some of what France has to offer.
2010 Ponsot MSD 1er Cru “Cuvee des Alouettes” - Pop and pour into glasses, with remainder into decanter. A nice nose of bright cherry, dried orange peel, burg-funk, and damp earth. Palate was a little rough at first, as the sour cherry and acid overpowered the rest of the palate, giving a little bit of a shrill entry. With a little time in the glass this mellowed out and became more integrated with a sour cherry, tobacco, and meaty note with zingy acid. Interesting, but not compelling. 91
2000 Chateau Margaux - Just gorgeous nose of black cherry, blackberry liquer, cedar, spice box, pipe tobacco, and a shoe polish/camphor/sandalwood type note that adds pop at the end. This is so wonderful on the palate. First, this is perfect or near-perfect balance. The fruit, acid, and tannic structure are so spot on. Everything fits perfectly into place. Second, the fruit has just enough sweetness to carry the spice, cedar, and tarry sweet pipe tobacco notes without ever suggesting this is sweet like a Cali wine or an over-ripe Bordeaux. It’s just spot on. Long finish. A delight. This is in that 97-98 point “wow” range.
2010 Clos des Papes Wow what a change of pace. Black currant, fig newton, blackberry syrup and raisin dominate the fruit focused nose. There is some action on the palate, but this is dominated by rich syrupy black and blacker fruit. Hint of licorice on the back. High glycerin mouth feel. I guessed 15.5% abv. Bottle says 15% and I’m skeptical. Regardless, it’s obvious from the wine that this is high alcohol, high glycerin, high extract. 10 years ago I’d have loved this. It was my least favorite on Friday. I honestly don’t know how to score this. Probably a 94-95 for most wine fans, especially who love big cabs. This is just not my style anymore. I think maybe I’d have liked it quite a bit more alone, but next to the Burg and Bordeaux, it was a bit much. The easy favorite of the Cali fan to no one’s surprise.
Then a blind treat:
2015 Luce della vite Luce - Tasting theory: Not Burgundy, not Bordeaux, not Southern Rhone. Don’t think it’s french given the rich black cherry and milk chocolate nose. Fruitcake suggests merlot. Taste has bright cherry, pepper, big acid, with a moderately tannic finish. WTF is this. It smells like merlot from California but the palate guarantees it is not. And it is not from France. I am totally stumped. It smells like Merlot but isn’t, and no clue from where. Reveal shows this is a “super Tuscan”, made from Sangiovese and Merlot. Interesting wine with a good bit going on. A little harsh on the palate. I could see this being really fun in about 5-10 years once it mellows out a hair and integrates better. 92-93.
Then another
2012 Roc de Cambes, Cotes de Bourg – Smells like french wine with the sharpened pencil and semi-sweet fruit. This is noticeably sweeter on the nose than the margaux and gives off really nice black fruit. On the palate this is a bit on the sweeter side which I’ll admit gave me pause a bit. But I’m thinking this is still a warmer vintage of bordeaux. The weight, cedar, semi-sweet fruit and nose all say “Bordeaux” even if this is obviously on the sweeter richer side of things. I’m thinking 09-10, and something pushing more cab than merlot. On reveal I’m sort of right and sort of wrong. It’s Bordeaux, it’s a recent vintage. But it’s a 2012 and its a Cotes de Bourg from Roc de Cambes, of Terte Roteboeuf. To be honest, I think this is pretty damn tasty. It’s not a super complex world beater, and it’s certainly on the richer sweeter side of Bordeaux, but it’s pretty easy drinking and pretty nice. I’m 92 on this. Yum.