Freddy R. Troya

8.9

Gabriel Meffre “Saint-Vincent” Côtes-du-Rhône Blanc 2024, Rhône Valley, France 🇫🇷

Overview
A classic Southern Rhône white blend that leans casual and food-oriented rather than flashy or intensely aromatic, and this cuvée is typically a blend of Grenache Blanc, Viognier, Roussanne, and Clairette. The result is a smooth, lightly stony, and subtly textured white that feels very comfortable at the table.

Aromas & Flavors
Soft white peach, pear, yellow apple, and delicate white floral tones open gently in the glass. Subtle hints of wet stone, citrus peel, and light herbal nuances emerge underneath, keeping the wine grounded and balanced rather than overtly fruity.

Mouthfeel
Medium-bodied with a smooth and approachable texture. There is a gentle tension toward the back palate that adds freshness without becoming sharp. The finish remains subtle, soft, and savory-leaning.

Food Pairings
This is where the wine truly shines. Excellent with roasted chicken, creamy seafood dishes, cod in white wine sauce, grilled vegetables, herb-driven Mediterranean cuisine, or mild cheeses.

Verdict
A very honest and traditional Rhône white that prioritizes versatility and food compatibility over complexity. Not necessarily a “sit and analyze” sipping wine, but a dependable bottle that works beautifully at the dinner table.

Did You Know?
White Côtes-du-Rhône wines represent only a small percentage of total Rhône production, which is why many consumers associate the region almost entirely with reds despite the area producing some excellent traditional white blends.

🍷 Personal Pick
This feels like one of those understated French whites that quietly performs best with food. Casual, stony, smooth, and very easy to enjoy alongside a proper meal rather than on its own. Cheers! — a month ago

Tim L

9.4

End of an era, however brief…August Recher Pinot (vintage 2021) by Robert Mueller is the among the last of Mueller Wine’s fine Pinots of the region Russian River, CA…perfect balance, full-bodied, full-flavored dark berry…top of class at any price. Ending his wine clubs and tasting rooms, Mueller sold the winery and facilities, vineyards - not the brand - to a so far unannounced name…at least per Google. The new adventure will certainly continue production but who knows if a superlative Mueller-like wine will result. Que sera’… — 3 years ago

Vanessa

9.1

Oh, hello, Friulano!! A local specialty of the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region in the far northeast of Italy. 🇮🇹

This beautiful wine is the Livio Felluga Friuli Colli Orientali DOC Friulano (2021).

Livio Felluga was an early adopter and pioneer of modern production techniques in the region, employing the use of stainless steel tanks, delicate grape pressing, and temperature-controlled (cooler) fermentations to produce clean, varietal-driven and refreshing white wine styles the region is now known for 🙌🏻👏🏻

The fruit used to make this wine hails from the Colli Orientali DOC, situated on hillside sites, stretching along the border of Slovenia, benefiting from higher altitudes, and cooling Alpine breezes, in support of a firm acid structure.

👁️ This wine has a medium lemon hue with a medium (+) bouquet 👃🏻 of white peach, green apple, Meyer lemon, clementine peel, green mango, white blossom, mint, basil, rosemary, white pepper, and wet pavement (petrichor).

👄 On the palate, this wine has a rich texture and weighted mouthfeel, balanced by medium (+) acidity, supporting its structure, while adding freshness and lift. Flavors are consistent with the nose – well-defined and concentrated.  Alcohol is medium (13.5% ABV) with a warming presence.

We paired this lovely wine with smoked salmon canapés made with lemon-marinated cucumbers and crème fraiche, lemon zest, shallot, fresh dill and chives on Norwegian crispbread, and was a stellar match-up! 🤩

Cheers to the pioneers who’ve shaped the evolution in wine styles we’ve come to know and love! — 3 years ago

with Deked1

Vanessa

9.1

Cheers to old-vine Chenin Blanc from South Africa! 🇿🇦 In South Africa, Chenin Blanc also goes by the name “Steen.”

It’s such a versatile grape and wine, capable of producing beautiful sweet, dry, still, and sparkling wines.

This wine is still and dry. We’ve paired it with sushi and it’s a delightful duet.

The grapes for this wine were grown organically in the Citrusdal Mountain district, north of Cape Town, west of the Olifants River, on the Western Cape. The bush vines were originally planted in 1957 (old!!), contributing to an intensity and a concentration of primary aromas and flavors in the grapes.

Indeed, the nose and palate offer medium(+) aromas and flavors of ripe pear, yellow apple, white peach, vegetal, boxwood, white blossom, crushed stone, and aged cheese rind notes. Lively acidity gives it lift and balances the high alcohol and intensity of fruit.

This wine was produced by Ginny Povall, American-born proprietor and self-taught winemaker of Botanica Wines. I love the botanical images on her labels, each an homage to the flower farm on which she began her wine production journey in South Africa.   

Botanica Wines, Chenin Blanc (Mary Delany Collection), 2019, ABV 14%. — 4 years ago

with Deked1

Stefan Dolhain

9.1

2015 vintage. A project started in 2011 by Olivier Bernard (of Domaine de Chevalier fame) in Sauternes from vineyards in 3 different terroirs (Sauternes, Barsac and Bommes). Contrary to classic white Bordeaux, Sémillon is king here, reflecting in this 70% Sémillon and 30% Sauvignon blanc blend, aged in French oak. Lune d'Argent is the middle range of the estate and the heart of the production. It stands for amazing value. Drinking beautifully now, but I suspect this will age gracefully for at least another 5 years. Light brilliant yellow. Very attractive nose combining exotic fruit with minerality, flowers and brioche. Juicy fresh pineapple and grapefruit, balanced mouth-watering acidity and perfectly integrated oak. This shows the potential of great dry white wines in the Sauternes region, where the famous sweet wines are sadly suffering from low demand in lethal combination with high production costs. Grab this one by the case at only 17,90 euros. Abv. 13%. — 6 years ago

Jorge Sierra

9.2

Another gem from Herve Souhaut. Limited production on this Ganay from the Rhone region not know for Gamay. 60-80 yo vines. Very different from what im used to in Gamay. Was still very fruity but also had peppery smoky notes and maybe even some herbs. Dark fruit for sure. Loved it. — 6 years ago

Kim Brater

9.0

Amazing dry white that has limited production in the U.S. Thus varietal hails from the Piedmont region originally. Ponzi planted a plot back in 1990 and each year it produces this amazing wine. Peach, almonds. Some pear on the nose. Lovely aperitif or with appetizers. Small production so if you can find it...get it! — 8 years ago

Stefan Dolhain

9.1

2018 vintage. This was still made under the CA ( Crédit Agricole) ownership. In 2019 the estate, together with La Tour de Mons, was sold to Nathalie Perrodo, who is doing a great job at Labégorce and Marquis d'Alesme. There seems to be historical evidence that the wines of (what was later called) Marsac Séguineau were considered fifth growth quality pre 1855, but it wasn't classified because of the very small production and the fragmentation of the vineyards. The Château was only constructed in 1886. Bordeaux is a fascinating region, not only for wine aficionados, but also for history lovers. In any case, this is already a delicious wine, exhibiting the famous Margaux elegance, without lacking power. Very good value too. I hope to find some recent vintages soon, as I expect the wines to progress under the new ownership. Abv. 14%. — 4 months ago

Vanessa

9.3

This is a stunning Garnatxa blend from Priorat (Catalonia), Spain!!

It’s comprised of mostly Garnatxa (Grenache), along with Syrah, and, to a lesser extent, Cabernet Sauvignon, sourced from three parcels in the sun-soaked village of Gratallops, where Daphne Glorian purchased her first vineyard – Clos Escales – back in 1989 when she founded Clos i Terraces. 🍇

In making this move, she joined equally passionate and pioneering winemakers Álvaro Palacios (L’Ermita) and René Barbier (Clos Mogador) in a rebirth of production practices in the region; as a group (with other similar-minded producers) they altered the trajectory of Priorat’s profile as a source of tip top quality wines rivaling the best on the world stage. 👏🏻

Priorat is one of only two regions carrying the “DOCa” / “DOQ” quality designation (the other is Rioja), subject to various stipulations including regular auditing by a tasting panel. ✅

This particular wine is “Laurel” which is Clos i Terraces’s second wine, next to Clos Erasmus, one of Priorat’s finest and most sought-after wines. Yet it tastes like a flagship wine in and of itself.🫶🏻🫶🏻

It is absolutely beautiful, with a medium ruby hue, medium (+) intensity of ripe and fresh strawberry, red cherry, red plum, violet, black licorice, fennel, clove, baking spice aromas and flavors. It’s dry, with medium(+) acidity, a medium(+) body, high alcohol (14% ABV), and medium tannins that are fine-grained. 😆

This wine vinified and aged in a combination of vessels, including, large oak vats, concrete tanks, second and third fill French oak barrels, and clay amphorae, lending to its texture and complexity.👌🏻👌🏻
— 2 years ago

Vanessa

9.0

The Côte de Nuits – situated in the Côte d’Or region of Burgundy, France – is best known for its Pinot Noir 🍇wines hailing from famous villages such as Gevrey-Chambertin, Vougeot, Vosne-Romanée, etc., in which some of Burgundy’s most renowned grands and premiers cru vineyards are located such as La Tâche and Romanée-Conti … 🍷🍷

Yet the Côte de Nuits produces a small amount of white and rosé wine, too!

In fact, the appellation of Marsannay (a northerly neighbor to Gevrey-Chambertin AOC) is the only village level AOC permitting production of not only red and white wine, but rosé wine, as well; it’s gaining recognition for its ability to deliver excellent quality wine for the price (QPR)! 🙌🏻🙌🏻

Here we have a Marsannay made with Chardonnay from the “Les Longeroies” vineyard 🌱, located on a gentle, southeast-facing slope ☀️ with cooling influences from the prevailing winds. 🌬️

It’s a pale gold wine with developing notes of yellow apple, pear, white nectarine, lemon curd, honeysuckle, blossom, chamomile, wet slate, delicate butterscotch, cream, brioche, honey, and crushed hazelnut.

It has a creamy texture and rounded mouthfeel, balanced and lifted by the pleasant acidity and primary fruit notes.

Domaine Régis Bouvier Marsannay Les Longeroies (2017) ABV 13%

Cheers to exploring the beauty of Burgundy!! 🥂🥂
— 3 years ago

with Deked1

Romain Fitoussi

9.1

Very nice interpretation of the gamay, balanced from one end of the tasting to the other. Blindly, we are in a triangle somewhere between Loire, Burgundy and Beaujolais (or PN from Alsace) The finish is carried by a very beautiful mineral weft unusual in this region. Nice finesse. Very good value for money/pleasure.

Très belle interprétation du gamay, équilibré d’un bout à l’autre de la dégustation. A l’aveugle, on est dans un triangle quelque entre Loire, Bourgogne et Beaujolais, (ou même un Pinot-noir alsacien). La finale est portée par une très belle trame minérale peu courante dans cette région. Belle finesse. Très bon rapport qualité/prix/plaisir. — 5 years ago

Shun Kikuchi

9.0

for me it has its own style of both relatively sharp acidity & slightly faded fruitfulness, like Grand Reserva. it seems it needs more time like at least 3-5yrs for matured pleasant cedar and forest like aromas.


PRODUCTION
Fruit is sourced from a variety of sites ranging from the sandy gravel soils of the Firgrove and Raithby ward to sandy/loamy granite soils of the Jonkershoek ward. In essence, it is a blend of Stellenbosch Cabernets showing the variety of terroirs to be found, all harvested by hand at optimal ripeness. Five days fermentation in open concrete tanks with temperature control and regular manual plunging and pump-overs. The malolactic fermentation was carried out in lined concrete tanks after which the wine was transferred to 225L French oak barrels (25% new oak) where it was matured for 20 months. — 6 years ago

Jason Guyett

9.3

Costco’s Kirkland Signature Champagne Brut. Honestly, super impressive. A blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier from the grand cru village of Verzenay in the Champagne region of France. So given the fact that real “Champagne” only comes from France and has strict rules about its production, it’s spectacular that Costco has gone all out with making a great tasting affordable Champagne.
All that being said, I’ve never been the best at pin-pointing Champagne notes. I get a pale, straw taste that’s crisp and refreshing. Will definitely be purchasing again. — 7 years ago

Yan Gagnon

9.1

Rustenberg remonte au début de la colonisation par les Hollandais dans la région du Cap en Afrique du Sud. On produit du vin depuis 1892 sans interruption. La cuvée John X Merriman porte le nom d’un ancien propriétaire qui devint premier ministre de la colonie du Cap. C’est un assemblage bordelais, médocain avec une prédominance de cabernet sauvignon, en 2021. Les cépages varient d’une année à l’autre, il y avait du Cabernet Franc et beaucoup de Merlot il y a quelques années. Il a passé 20 mois sous fût de chêne français. Le 2021 est encore jeune avec une belle robe rubis. Le nez est franc avec des effluves de fruits rouges, framboise et de fruits noirs, cassis. La bouche est tout à fait agréable, les tanins sont souples. Le corps est moyen. La finale est longue sur des saveurs de chocolat et de prune et un soupçon d’épices. Il fait partie des 1001 vins qu'il faut avoir goûtés. — a year ago

Vanessa

9.4

These are the perfect Birthday bubbles!
 
They’re brought to us by one of our favorite “grower” producers – Paul Bara – situated in Bouzy, a grand cru village in the Montagne de Reims ⛰️ region of Champagne.
 
Paul Bara owns the entire production process from beginning to end, carrying forward seven generations of family history and tradition, with winemaker Chantal Bara now at the helm.

This is the 2016 Paul Bara vintage special club rosé.  It was made with mostly Pinot Noir (70%) along with some Chardonnay (30%) for brightness.  

It is pale salmon 👁️ with medium(+) intensity of lemon peel, mandarin pith, white peach, green apple, raspberry, strawberry, toast, pastry, and blanched almond 👃🏻 👄 . The mousse is fine-beaded and well-integrated. It is dry with a creamy mouthfeel and elegant finish.

It’s positively delicious!

Cheers to another trip around the sun ☀️ and Happy Mother’s Day to all of the amazing Mamas! — 2 years ago

with Deked1

Vanessa

9.3

We absolutely love exploring the world’s many expressions of Pinot Noir!  It’s a lifelong endeavor and we’re here for it. 😆

Tonight, we’re taking a sensory trip to South America and, more specifically, Río Negro, Patagonia 🇦🇷 – the most southerly wine-producing region of Argentina – where Antarctic currents, winds descending from the Andes, & high latitudes offer cooling influences, ideal for producing elegant Pinot Noir styles.

Bodega Chacra was established in 2003 by Tuscan Piero Incisa della Rocchetta (grandson of Sassicaia’s founding father) in search of purity and nuance in fruit expression from the terroir of Patagonia. 🍇
 
Piero now partners with esteemed Burgundian winemaker (and friend) Jean-Marc Roulot in the production process, each contributing their respective oenological “genes” to the final wine, which is first and foremost a child of the earth in Mainqué, Río Negro. 🌱
 
Paying utmost respect to the land, Bodega Chacra cares for its vineyards organically and biodynamically aided, in part, by the arid, windy conditions that naturally mitigate fungal pressure in the vineyard. Their fruit is harvested by hand, allowing for selectivity and the use of whole bunches during fermentation. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

This wine is called ‘Cincuenta Y Cinco’ (fifty five) because its fruit comes from vines first planted in 1955, carefully preserved by the team at Bodega Chacra, whose oldest vines actually date back to 1932!

This wine was fermented in cement vats using native yeast, adapted to the environment and matured 11 months (50% in concrete, 50% in French oak of various ages) before release. ⚖️

In a word this wine is ethereal.
 
We served it with a slight chill. Its pristine, berry and cherry fruit profile, complements the delicate cherry blossom, peony 🌺 and baking spice notes. It’s light on its feet w/ medium alcohol (12% ABV) and bright acidity.  It’s lovely & perfumed.

Cheers to Bodega Chacra and all of the beautiful Pinots of Patagonia! — 3 years ago

with Deked1

Romain Fitoussi

9.0

Black fruits, liquorice, pepper and animal smoke notes. Racy Saint Joseph, on youth. Nice delicacy, without the persistence of the greatest wines in the region. To be tested again in 2 years, to taste it on nuanced notes.

Fruits noirs, réglisse, poivre et notes fumées animales. Saint-Joseph racé, sur la jeunesse. Belle gourmandise mais sans la persistance des plus grands crus de la région. A tester à nouveau dans 2 ans, pour le goûter sur des notes nuancées. — 4 years ago

Romain Fitoussi

9.0

PN Gamay Blend #1: A nice biodynamic juice that honours the pinot noir, (by bringing a classy mouth) and the gamay, generous and flowery. The dress is dark but translucent. Open nose, very fruity. In the mouth the material is velvety, combining freshness and roundness, in a balance that makes this wine remarkable in its price range. Nice entry cuvée by an interesting domain of Loire region.

Un beau jus qui fait honneur au pinot noir, (en apportant une certaine tenue) et au gamay, généreux et accessible. La robe est violine sombre mais translucide. Le nez ouvert est très fruité. En bouche la matière est veloutée, associant fraîcheur et rondeur, dans un équilibre qui rend ce vin remarquable dans sa gamme de prix. Belle entrée en matière d’un super domaine. — 5 years ago

Maksym Dzhavala

9.2

A good vintage for the whole region, best displayed in a glass, unlike Mazzi. The bouquet clearly indicates that this wine could have become Recioto someday 😄. Compared to other samples, the aroma is more fruity. There is no spice in taste, but in this case such circumstances cannot be considered a disadvantage. Long time in oakis felt but not dominant due to the traditional approach to Amarone production. There are some cherry, chocolate, oak, brown sugar, black licorice. — 6 years ago

Connor Smith

9.5

#Nebbiolo is a surprisingly rare grape. Even in its native Piedmont, it accounts for only 8% of vineyard land. There are fewer than 100 hectares planted in the United States. 🕵️‍♂️🍇
Over 80% of prewar Italian immigrants came from Sicily and Southern Italy. Piedmont was the wealthiest and most politically dominant region. But if fortunes were reversed, could Nebbiolo have taken Primitivo/Zinfandel’s place as a grape relatively uncommon on the boot but dominant in California? 🤔🇮🇹🇺🇸
Probably not. The Nebbiolo vine is *not* for beginners. It flowers early and ripens late, making it susceptible to both spring and autumn frosts. It loves the occasional fog bath (some say the name is derived from ‘nebbia’, Italian for fog ☁️☁️☁️) but is prone to the mildew that may result from such humid conditions. Its fussiness would make Pinot Noir blush: it demands southwesterly exposure, a proper gradient, constant sun above, and fog licking at its toes. #diva
Sound anything like California’s Central Coast? 🌅
In the Santa Maria Valley, where the East-West Transverse Range bends back into the North-South Coastal Range, it’s possible. Vineyard selection still requires extreme discretion - an eye like @JimClendenen’s, perhaps.
Jim began the Nebbiolo program at the legendary #BienNacido vineyard in 1994. Production is small, but if you track down his “The Pip” Nebbiolo, it will only run you about $30. You’ll believe anything is possible when you have real California Nebbiolo of this quality come wafting out of the glass at you! 🙌🙌
🏞.“The Pip” is named after Jim’s old cellar dog Pip, a border collie. So it only seemed right to include one of our own pips! 🐈 — 7 years ago