Tasted and Approved - May June 2024

Champagne 

R. Faivre - Reflet Naturel 

Wow, a very lovely 100% Meunier cuvée signed R. Faivre! Even better in magnum…

Located in Belval-Sous-Châtillon in the Marne, not far from Reims, the estate is a terroir revealer, committed to organic conversion and showcasing the Meunier grape, the star of the estate! 

This 100% Meunier cuvée is superb: yellow fruits, white flowers, a slight oxidative character typical of Meunier, a beautiful liveliness, and structure… Excellent!
Let us also add that it represents very good value for money: €30 per bottle (with decreasing prices available on our website!!) 

A true grower's Champagne to discover! 

Rare millésimé 2013

Wow! A very lovely grande maison Champagne! 

Almost entirely Chardonnay (with a touch of Pinot Noir) for this very beautiful floral and spiced Champagne, scattered with white flowers, citrus, white fruits, honey, and almond paste. On the palate, the bubble is fine, there is tension, a certain minerality, and a saline touch, with indulgent, pastry-like notes! 

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White Wines 

Alta Mora - Etna Bianco 2019 

A very lovely wine tasted blind. 

It wins unanimous approval: delicious! A golden straw-yellow robe with green highlights, a nose of white flower aromas, peach, smoke, and ash — there is alcohol and a beautiful acidity, with richness. 

We were given a hint (a rather nice one) during the tasting: the wine is not French. 

On reflection: where else can one find this much alcohol yet such a beautiful acidity? 

One thinks of high-altitude vines; certain flavors evoke Italian whites, notably with notes of peach, ripe citrus, a lovely salinity, and a well-present acidity to balance everything with freshness. 

And there it was: illumination! Sicily, Etna, BINGO! 

This is indeed the Alta Mora Etna Bianco 2019 cuvée! The vines are located in Castiglione di Sicilia, at 600 meters altitude, 100% Carricante. 

Thanks to the volcano and its high-altitude location, this is a wine that draws energy and structure from its terroir, and salinity from the sea!

Outstanding! As an aperitif or at the table (starters, salads, poultry, white meats…): perfect for summer! Discover our Italian wines! 

Henri Germain - Bourgogne 2014

A superb Burgundy white! The 2014 vintage being renowned for white Burgundies, we can only confirm it! 

There is beautiful fruit, a lovely acidity, and one can clearly detect the secondary flavors of butter and yeast. A very lovely wine for a generic Bourgogne appellation that is 10 years old! 

Simone - Palette 2019 

Château Simone (Provence) is known for its reds and rosés, but the whites are not to be overlooked! 

80% Clairette, 10% Grenache Blanc, 5% Bourboulenc, 3% Ugni Blanc, and 2% Muscat Blanc! A beautiful Provençal blend! This wine is considered one of the greatest whites of the southeast, with a highly evolving color, as well as a nose with a very broad aromatic palette: lime blossom, honey, flowers, hazelnuts. Power and vivacity on the palate — the balance between richness and freshness is perfect! 

During our inauguration evening, we also tasted several white wines, which are as follows:  

Domaine de l'Aitonnement - Vesta 2021 Chignin Bergeron 

This very lovely Savoie estate is located on the Massif de la Maurienne: the terroir is characterized by south-facing slopes, grey and schistose marl soils, to the great delight of the many grape varieties cultivated there. Maxime Dancoine heads this estate and offers several cuvées to discover! 

This Vesta cuvée is a 100% Roussanne Chignin Bergeron. A lovely pale gold color, a nose that is already very expressive! White flowers, citrus, but above all, exotic fruits and apricot! 

Some of us are not always fans of exotic notes in wines, but the whole is lifted by a beautiful acidity — so we are quite surprised! Very pleasant, astonishing, and balanced between fruit, roundness, and acidity!

A wonderful estate to discover, in both white and red. 

Simon Bize - Savigny Les Beaune Blanc 2020

OUT-STANDING! 

A revelation for all! Savigny Les Beaune, a lovely appellation, but not necessarily among the most prestigious: as soon as a winemaker has talent, anything is possible. One could almost think one was in Meursault. 

Everything is impeccably crafted: the aromas are complex and there is tension, a beautiful purity, and a typical minerality, between richness and freshness, yellow fruits, white flowers, flint, and yeast notes. Flawless for a white of great precision. 

Maison Valette - Pouilly Fuissé 2018

A very lovely organic and natural Chardonnay, quite powerful (hence its position as last in the white wine tasting) for a Pouilly Fuissé!

Complex from the very first whiff, it nonetheless requires a little aeration to release notes of citrus, spices, and saline hints. A very beautiful, saline, and complex finish — the texture is voluptuous! Whether one loves or is less fond of the natural style, it remains very pleasant and refreshing! 

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Rosé Wines 

It is (finally) the return of fine weather! The perfect occasion to taste rosé wines of all styles! 

Arretxea - Irouléguy 2023

A gastronomic rosé! We are glad not to be tasting from black glasses — otherwise, we would have been completely lost! 

A very lovely nose of fresh lemon, rhubarb, and strawberry for this rosé with an intense color. The palate is enveloping and taut, with a very lovely fresh persistence. It would be perfect with smoked fish, a salmon tartare, or a piperade. 

Domaine d'Arretxea, established in the heart of the Basque Country, produces several wines in the Irouléguy appellation (South-West). The Irouléguy vineyard is located at an altitude between 200 and 400 meters around Saint-Étienne-de-Baïgorry and Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, across around fifteen communes. It is one of the smallest mountain vineyards in France, with steep slopes and terraced vines: lovely exposure but very demanding work! 

A must-discover! 

Maxime Magnon Métisse 2021 - Corbières 

Yet another very lovely wine from Maxime Magnon! Having tasted the Bégou in white, then Roseta in red, we are delighted to taste the rosé from this winemaker in the AOC Corbières appellation. 

Maxime Magnon, a young winemaker, trained with Philippe Valette in Mâcon and Thierry Allemand in Cornas! He then distinguished himself with a very precise wine style that combines fruitiness, freshness, finesse, precision, and balance! 

On seeing this beautiful robe that approaches a very clear, limpid red, and finally being in the sunshine, we were very eager to taste… A wonderful first impression with a powerful, very open nose, notes of garrigue, orange blossom, potpourri, and fresh thyme. The mouthfeel is suave and consistent with perfectly integrated tannins. This is a vinous and lively rosé just as we like it: a blend of Grenache Noir (40%), Cinsault (40%), Carignan (10%), and Syrah (10%) where each grape variety brings out the best! A must-discover! 

Domaines Ott: Château de Selle 2023

A very lovely Provence rosé, a blend of Grenache, Cinsault, and Syrah, with vines situated on sunny limestone hilltops not far from Draguignan! 

Beautiful pale pink robe with golden highlights; the nose is very expressive with a great deal of fruit (citrus), flowers, and spices. On the palate, the attack is precise, giving way to a beautiful liveliness through to the finish, all with a lovely aromatic profile. 

Mas Jullien Rosé 2019 

Served very cold, one delights in the pure and intense aromas of this wine! As an aperitif but also at the table, it can accompany an entire summer meal! 

Aromas of red fruits, morello cherries, and flowers on the nose, then an ample and thirst-quenching palate with a flavorful and tangy fruit: it is indulgent and very lively! 

Mas Jullien is a great estate from Languedoc Roussillon, so one should certainly not miss the rosés! 

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Red Wines 

Domaine des Tours - Merlot Syrah 2008

Wow! What a pleasure to taste this Merlot Syrah 2008 cuvée! Another success for Emmanuel Reynaud and this wine in VDP Pays de Vaucluse. This is a cuvée just as carefully tended as the others, even with a certain element of risk, as Emmanuel Reynaud harvests only at optimal ripeness. The vinification allows the berries to express the extraordinary terroir of limestone, sandstone, marl, and rounded pebbles, cradled by a Mediterranean climate. 

One can detect very beautiful fruits, slightly aged over 16 years in the bottle (red fruits such as raspberry in its youth), along with notes of olive and soft spices! 

Truly beautiful, as always with Reynaud!

Billes de Grenache 2020 - Clos de la Barthassade 

Explosion of juicy fruits: cherry, orange zest, cocoa touch 

Generous and expressive palate, beautiful freshness, fine tannins 

Clos de la Barthassade practices organic farming, and certain cuvées are crafted according to the principles of biodynamics. Discover this estate and its lovely cuvées in IGP Pays d'Hérault, Terrasses du Larzac, or Languedoc, run by young parents who trained at Trévallon and Sylvain Pataille. Between freshness and indulgence, a truly beautiful estate to enjoy with friends, from aperitif to the table. 

Luis Pato - Vinha Pan 1997 Bairrada

A very lovely 27-year-old Portuguese wine! 

Drinking very well today: still showing fruit, lovely acidity, integrated tannins, leather, and a chocolatey note

The grape variety used is Baga; it evokes an old Grenache on the nose, but in a Portuguese style that is close to the Spanish style, yet without the oak (ageing). 

Here are also the red wines that were tasted during our inauguration evening! 

Bruno Clavelier - Vosne Romanée Combe Brûlée 2018 

A magnificent Pinot Noir that was a great success! 

The Bruno Clavelier estate, located in Vosne Romanée, is a great Burgundian domaine. Bruno Clavelier produces around fifteen parcel-specific cuvées of excellent quality! 

Old vines of approximately 85 years are used for this cuvée, which won over our guests. A nose of flowers (roses, peonies) and wild berries, endowed with a beautiful minerality, graphite, smoke, and salinity. On the palate, small red fruits dominate, with a certain minerality typical of the climate, all wrapped up in a very elegant manner! 

Vieux Télégraphe - Châteauneuf du Pape 2021

Already drinking well, this is a wine that can certainly age in the cellar for a few years without any problem — as with all Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines, Vieux Télégraphe is no exception to the rule! 

A blend using the typical grape varieties of the appellation to bring out the best of each: Grenache (65%), Mourvèdre (15%), Syrah (15%), then Cinsault, Clairette, and others (5%)! 

One can already clearly detect dark fruits, the peppery character of the Syrah, and real finesse! Looking forward to tasting again in a few years!  

Domaine Montcalmès - Terrasses du Larzac 2021

60% Syrah, 20% Mourvèdre, and 20% Grenache, this wine already drinks very well! A reference in Terrasses du Larzac and one of the most sought-after estates in the area, wow! Of course, it can be cellared with complete confidence. 

On the nose, there are complex notes of nutmeg, spices, dark fruits, and ash, even hints of leather already; the palate is quite firm and spiced, which will evolve very well, yet all things considered, already very pleasant! 

Crunchy suavity, fine and precise tannins, lovely concentration, and remarkable freshness! 

Another excellent value for money. 

Simon Bize - Savigny Les Beaune Les Grands Liards 2020

We also wanted to offer our customers a taste of a Savigny Les Beaune from Simon Bize, but in red! 

This wine was the last red wine tasted: we placed it in this position due to its very full-bodied character! 

Indeed, this wine has a beautiful tannic structure and concentrated flavors: everything a wine needs to be built for ageing. It truly needs to mellow and soften over several years. 

We nonetheless find beautiful red fruits on the nose, notably blackcurrant, as well as flowers and spices, with a certain chocolatey note rounding out the palate. 

This will be a great wine in several years — still too young at present. 

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Sweet Wines 

Domaine de Souch - Marie Kattalin 2002, Jurançon

The first sweet wine of our inauguration evening: a truly beautiful discovery! The pairing was perfect with bitter orange tartlets on a lovely shortcrust pastry, or small crêpes flambéed with orange zest. 

The nose is intense and complex: exotic fruits, mango, pineapple, papaya, yellow fruits, peach, apricot, and honey! On the palate, it is an avalanche of sensations: a great deal of richness, fruit, a suave texture, and a quite impressive freshness to balance everything! A true delight. 

One could even inhale it for several minutes — it is quite delightful! 

We were delighted to appreciate a Jurançon this much — it truly blew us away. 

Yquem 2008

Closing this tasting evening in style with a true star that drew everyone's attention. 

Yquem 2008 to continue with desserts and sweet wines: an absolute sensation. 

In the same way, this is a wine one could appreciate for hours on the nose alone. White fruits, peach, pineapple, honey, crème brûlée, orange marmalade… Magnificent aromas for a 16-year-old Yquem! On the palate, the opulence, power, richness, and unctuousness are balanced by a beautiful freshness. The intensity of the flavors is, of course, pronounced, and the finish is infinite. 

A true delight. 

Even when one is not particularly fond of sweet wines or any form of sugar in wine, a very small tasting portion alongside a dessert can delight everyone. 

Finishing on a high note with this internationally renowned nectar is a true pleasure! 

Discover the full history of Château d'Yquem as well as the many vintages available for purchase on our website!