Tasted and Approved - May June 2024

Champagne 

R. Faivre - Reflet Naturel 

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

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

This 100% Meunier cuvée is outstanding: yellow fruits, white flowers, a slight oxidative note from the Meunier, a beautiful vivacity and structure… Excellent!
Let us also add that it offers very good value for money: €30 per bottle (with volume discounts available on our website!!) 

A true grower's Champagne de vigneron to discover! 

Rare millésimé 2013

Wow! A very lovely Champagne de grande maison! 

Almost entirely Chardonnay (with a touch of Pinot Noir) for this very beautiful floral and spicy Champagne, sprinkled 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 note, with indulgent and pastry-like flavors! 

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White Wines 

Alta Mora - Etna Bianco 2019 

A very lovely wine tasted blind. 

It wins everyone over: 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 (rather a nice one) during the tasting: the wine is not French. 

On reflection: where can you find so much alcohol yet such a beautiful acidity? 

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

And then: illumination! Sicily, Etna, BINGO! 

It is therefore the Cuvée Alta Mora Etna Bianco 2019! The vines are located in Castiglione di Sicilia, at 600 metres altitude, 100% Carricante. 

Thanks to the volcano and its high-altitude location, this is a wine that draws energy and structure from its terroir, as well as 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 Burgundian white! The 2014 vintage being renowned for Burgundy whites, we can only confirm it! 

There is beautiful fruit, a lovely acidity, and you can clearly sense the secondary flavors of butter and yeast. A very lovely wine for a generic Bourgogne appellation wine 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 South-East, with a very evolving color, as well as a nose with a very broad aromatic palette: linden, honey, flowers and 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 listed here:  

Domaine de l'Aitonnement - Vesta 2021 Chignin Bergeron 

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

This Vesta cuvée is a Chignin Bergeron made from 100% Roussanne. A lovely pale golden robe, an already very expressive nose! 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 rather surprised! Very pleasant, astonishing and well-balanced between fruit, roundness and acidity!

A wonderful estate to discover, in white as well as in red. 

Simon Bize - Savigny Les Beaune Blanc 2020

CAN-NON! 

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

Everything is perfectly crafted: the aromas are complex and there is tension, a beautiful purity and a characteristic minerality, between richness and freshness, yellow fruits, white flowers, flint and yeast. 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 the last white in the tasting) for a Pouilly Fuissé!

Complex from the very first nose, it nonetheless requires a little aeration to release notes of citrus, spices and saline touches. A very beautiful saline and complex finish — the texture is voluptuous! Whether or not you appreciate the natural style, it remains very pleasant and refreshing! 

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Rosé Wines 

(Finally) the return of sunny days! The perfect occasion to taste rosé wines of all styles! 

Arretxea - Irouléguy 2023

A gastronomic rosé! We are glad we are not tasting in 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 under the Irouléguy appellation (South-West). The Irouléguy vineyard is located at an altitude of between 200 and 400 metres around Saint Etienne 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: a lovely exposure but a demanding terrain! 

A must-discover! 

Maxime Magnon Métisse 2021 - Corbières 

Yet another very lovely wine from Maxime Magnon! After tasting the Bégou in white and 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 under Philippe Valette in Mâcon and Thierry Allemand in Cornas! He then distinguished himself with a very precise wine style, combining fruitiness, freshness, finesse, precision and balance! 

Seeing this lovely color, close to a very pale and limpid red, and finally being in the sunshine, we had a strong desire to taste… A beautiful opening with a powerful and very open nose, notes of garrigue, orange blossom, potpourri and fresh thyme. The palate is suave and consistent with perfectly integrated tannins. This is a vinous and lively rosé as we love 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 located on high, sun-drenched limestone hills not far from Draguignan! 

A beautiful pale pink robe tinged with golden highlights — the nose is very expressive with an abundance of fruit (citrus), flowers and spices. On the palate, a precise attack gives way to a beautiful vivacity through to the finish, all with a lovely aromatic character. 

Mas Jullien Rosé 2019 

Served very chilled, it is a pure delight thanks to 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 of flavorful and tangy fruit: it is indulgent and very lively! 

Mas Jullien is a great domaine du Languedoc Roussillon, so you should not miss its rosés!

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Red Wines 

Domaine des Tours - Merlot Syrah 2008

Wow! What a treat 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 nurtured as the others, even with a certain degree of risk-taking, since Emmanuel Reynaud harvests only at optimal ripeness. The winemaking allows the berries to express the extraordinary terroir of limestone, sandstone, marl and rounded pebbles, cradled by a Mediterranean climate. 

You can sense 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! 

Superb, as always with Reynaud!

Billes de Grenache 2020 - Clos de la Barthassade 

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

Generous and expressive palate, beautiful freshness, fine tannins 

The Clos de la Barthassade practices organic farming and certain cuvées are crafted according to biodynamic principles. 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 dinner table. 

Luis Pato - Vinha Pan 1997 Bairrada

A very lovely 27-year-old Portuguese wine! 

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

The grape variety used is Baga; it is reminiscent of an old Grenache on the nose, but in the Portuguese style, which is close to the Spanish style, yet without the wood (aging). 

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 characteristic 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 of course age for a few years in the cellar without any issue, as with all Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines — Vieux Télégraphe is no exception to the rule! 

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

You can already clearly sense the dark fruits, the peppery character of the Syrah and a great finesse! Looking forward to tasting it again in a few years!  

Domaine Montcalmès - Terrasses du Larzac 2021

60% Syrah, 20% Mourvèdre and 20% Grenache, this wine is already drinking very well! A reference in Terrasses du Larzac and one of the most talked-about estates in the area — wow! Of course, it can also age with complete confidence in the cellar. 

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 spicy and will evolve very well, but all things considered, already very pleasant! 

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

Another great value for money. 

Simon Bize - Savigny Les Beaune Les Grands Liards 2020

We also wanted to offer our clients 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 owing 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 aging. It does indeed need several years to soften and develop greater complexity. 

We still 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 fine wine in several years' time — 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 is perfect with bitter orange tartlets on a lovely shortcrust pastry, or small flambéed crêpes 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: great richness, fruit, a suave texture, and a rather impressive freshness to balance everything! A pure delight. 

You can even swirl it in your glass for several minutes — it is quite a delight! 

We were delighted to enjoy a Jurançon so much — it truly knocked our socks off. 

Yquem 2008

Finishing this tasting evening on a high note with a true star that attracted all eyes. 

Yquem 2008 to continue with desserts and sweet wines: a true bomb. 

In the same way, this is a wine you can savor 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 pure delight. 

Even when you are not particularly fond of sweet wines or any form of sugar in wine, a very small tasting pour with 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 Yquem as well as numerous vintages available for purchase on our website!