Wine, ordered in

WINE TALK
1

With a little help/advice from friends, these are the wines arriving now days (all under $25):

2017 Louis Michel, Chablis - utterly Chablis; flint and mineral lead with lemon zest and white fruit filling out the mid-palate; everything supported by a bright acid spine and such lovely overall balance that I am reminded of ballet dancers. About $23 full retail, sealed by screwcap and a wine I can’t have too much of.
(Aside: my tasting of 2017 Chablis has been mostly Michel and, at least at this house, the vintage seems structured and precise with burgeoning complexity.)

2019 Hild, Elbling Trocken - from the upper Mosel (think limestone not slate) this reminds me of Chablis with a touch more fruit and not quite the density. Lovely wine and, if I am informed correctly, there is little of this variety left anywhere.

2017 Vissoux, Fleurie Poncie - delicate but not fragile, obviously Fleurie, pretty accessible now and more finish than the palate suggests. Quite a light wine but a charming one.

2016 Dom. Guisset, Cotes du Roussillon - a perfectly good wine and well made but without any center. A step above pedestrian but just that.

2017 Lafage Bastide Miraflors, Cotes du Roussillon - 14.5% and there’s Grenache in it - that usually sends me packin’. But this is good. Broad, weighty fruit but with a firm tannic grip and ample acid. Good depth and complexity. A hint of ash but no oak in sight. And an intensity I put down to the old vine Syrah. A nice find.

2018 Vajra, Rosso - an old favorite that blends Dolcetto, Barbara and Nebbiolo to create a drink young kind of bottle that is exuberant and soulful. Not too heavy, not too light - just a pleasingly complex but relatively straight-forward delivery.

2017 Fronton de Oro, Tinto - from the Canary Islands with 3 months in barrel. A muscular, smoky, roasted fruit kind of red, that doesn’t get pruny. For heavier fare, red meats, strongly flavored foods and the like. I’m not usually a fan of cooked fruit flavored wines but this one is so authentic and rustic it seems to carry it off.

Best, jim

2

Nice notes as always Jim. That Fronton de Oro looks interesting but alas it’s not available here in the U.K.

3

Thank you for sharing. I enjoy reading all the TNs, but it is especially nice to read about ones I can afford to purchase & try myself.

4

Jim, always enjoy reading your impressions. The 2017 vintage for Chablis seems to have been such a successful one that even the lower/lowest level bottles from some producers seem to be very good. For example, I had a similar reaction as you did about the Louis Michel with the 2017 William Fevre Domaine especially and even the Champs Royaux is good. Thanks for your notes and keep ‘em comin’.

5

Great notes. More wine to put on the list!

6

The Lafage wines are all pretty great values. My local guy has been bringing them in for several years now. I tend to buy sporadically since there are many options that scratch the itch they scratch and I like to dabble.

Cheers,
fred

7

Vissoux does not get a lot of love on this forum but it is a very solid, consistent producer with a broad stable. The Poncie and Les Garant almost always shine. Reasonably priced as well.

8

I’m a big fan of the Michel, Vissoux, and Vajra. I think the Vajra has Freisa, Pinot Noir, and some others in addition to the three you mention. I like it quite a bit but buy the Nebbiolo Langhe more often, which is also excellent.

9

Yep, the Rosso has a kitchen sink list of inclusions and I’ve heard it may vary vintage to vintage. No matter the year, I always like it.
I don’t think I’ve tried the straight Nebbiolo from them . . . but I will.:sunglasses:
Best, jim