Gros Nore Bandol Rose 2010

Tasted in the late evening , this wine was a pleasant surprise. Color was clear, light intensity, day bright, salmon pink color with orange reflections, and medium viscosity. The nose was dominated by the mourvèdre, with leathery aromas, as well as cherries, and limestone. The attack is fresh, the mid palate powerful, and the finish mineral and elegant. This wine has great complexity and acidity, it leaves you refreshed and ready for more.  With a 13.5% ABV this rose has plenty of body and will pair well with food. Try a roasted red pepper, marinated in olive oil with Provencal herbs for a perfect late afternoon en-cas.
$24.99/bottle at Bleu Cellars. Bleucellars.com

Chablis Grand Cru Chistophe CAMU "Les Clos" 2004

I had the pleasure to spend last weekend in Naples where the good life is lived, and lived well. During my short vacation I was lucky enough to taste my favorite Chablis of all, Francois Raveneau. Tonight, I am just a little less lucky to have found this bottle at our dear Central Market.

I can tell, when I drink this bottle, that Christophe Camu transferred his genius to his wine. This is the first time I am impressed by a Chablis that does not carry the name Raveneau.

I have to admit the hesitation was great when I was standing in the Burgundy isle and I was staring at the $70 price tag. I'm, usually, and luckily, not the one opening bottles carrying this type of price tags. So when I uncorked the bottle and gave it my first tasting step: the cork smell, I was very anxious. I could distinctively smell the fruit pass the cork, which made me very optimistic about the rest of the exercise.

The nose was a total let down: Weak, smelled like a mix of iron and honey. But the honey gave me hope and I carried on to the tasting.

This is something I would never be afraid to serve. I would be proud to have on my hypothetical wine list and I would recommend it to any make believe customer who wanted a great chardonnay without having to feel like you are locked in a new oak barrel.

It's a perfect balance between fruit and minerals, earth and air. The savors dance on your tongue, and fill you nose with sweet sent.

If I were to compare it with Raveneau, I would say: It lacks Raveneau's magic touch, and only him can produce that, it's also half the price.

Les Clefs D'or, Chateauneuf-du-Pape

This 2001 was a delight to enjoy. It was soft, balance, with nice rasberries and strawberries hints. The finish was a little short, but what it lacked in elegance, it made up for in complexity.

Chevalier-Montrachet Notes

When I wanted to enjoy a nice chardonnay tonight, only one choice came to my mind. My father brought me this bottle from his cellar during his last visit. This 2004 Chevalier-Montrachet (burgundy, 14%) form Philippe Colin is quite exceptional. While it could have aged few more years, it is already showing the star that he is.

The wine is of light gold color. The complexity of the bouquet gives you a glimpse at the personality of the wine. Vanilla, cocoa, and honey suckle were the most dominant aromas.

This is a wine that is too young to let it warm up. This won't be a problem one day, but right now I would advise keeping this one in the ice bucket. At warmer then advised temperature, the oak would take over, and overpower some very subtle and wonderful fragrances, I don’t want you to miss out.

This fruity, elegant, and seductive Chevalier-Montrachet is a success for this cold evening. The wine’s achievement was to deliver a powerful and infinite finish with a distinctive green pear taste.

I am currently not going to give this wine a rating, and I will tell you why later, but I might change that sometime in the future.

Rhone, Rhone, and more Rhone

I want to take time, on this beautiful Friday, to talk about my favorite wine in my favorite region. Three summers ago I found myself in this beautiful region again, this time under circumstances that went beyond my power, with two of my cousins who are wine enthusiasts themselves. We were driving up to my Aunt and Uncle’s farm in the region of Macon. By chance my older cousin whose car we were in, wanted to bring back some good wines from the Rhone valley, and I happened to know a few of them. One of the stops we made, one of the many stops, was in Vacqueyras at the Sang des Cailloux vineyard.

This wine is my favorite because it is the one that I can understand the best. I can actually feel the emotions of the winemaker while he made the wine. Most people will just think I’m lying, they have never felt emotions from a wine. And yet, wines that are influenced by the wine maker’s personality are the best wine in the world. This only happens with small productions vineyard that are trying to recreate a local authentic taste. They will give their wine character, and that character will enhance you tasting experience. This is an earthy wine, with red fruits, impeccable balance, a pleasant finish, complex and robust, full of pain and happiness, just like life.