Pépière 2019 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Briords Vieilles Vignes

Harvested early in this sunny, dry year (at 12.5% alc) to preserve the freshness, 2019 is an extraordinary vintage for "Briords," not like 1996 perhaps (I wish I stilll had some) but certainly like the excellent 2010 in it's combination of density and ripeness with firm acidity. Our tasting with Rémi and Gwénaëlle last winter showed a subtle, crystalline nose of white fruits, citrus, stone and iodine with a focused, dense palate with dried pear, citrus and mineral flavors and fantastic length. This will be exhillarating to drink now and will really sing after ten years in the cellar.

Pépière 2018 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Les Gras Moutons

This lovely wine clearly illustrates the difference between the granite and gneiss terroirs in Muscadet. Gras Moutons is a great parcel on gneiss, in layers that permit a deep penetration by the vines, with sandy clay and amphibolite stones. The vines are at the top of a hill and on the south-facing slope overlooking the Maine. (The name, by the way, does not refer to fat sheep, but rather in local dialect, to the hilltop vineyard site.) This terroir produces lovely, classic Muscadet to drink over the next 5 to 8 years, it has a more herbal and floral bouquet than the granite-based wines and the palate, although refreshing and bright, is softer and more open. The 2018 Gras Moutons is a sensational Muscadet showing a pale bronze color and beautiful aromas of ripe pear and quince with hints of anise, stone and almond; The palate is very dense and mineral with ripe pear and white peach, quite supple and ripe but framed in firm acidity. The finish is long and dense with white fruits, citrus and an almost bitter mineral aspect - this will pair beautifully with a full-flavored fish or chicken dish. Five to eight years of aging will bring out the complexity of this lovely wine. Highly recommended and a great value!  David Lillie

Pépière 2014 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Cru Château Thébaud

(Note: This is the last inventory in 750ml, magnums are on the way!) The Domaine de la Pépière Château Thébaud "Clos des Morines" comes from old vines on a beautiful vineyard with great terroir sloping down towards the river Maine. The granite here (Granit de Château Thébaud, oddly enough) is fissured and permeable by the vine roots which have access to water during dry spells and absorb micro-nutrients along the way.  2009, 2010, 2012 and 2015 here were among the best of the vintage in Muscadet and the 2014 will stand out as perhaps the finest yet due to the perfect combination of great density and minerality with the very firm acidity of this superb year for Muscadet - those of you lucky enough to have the 2014 Pépière Clisson in your cellar understand just what a special vintage this is. From Remi Branger at Pépière: "As the wine aged we performed three bâtonnages and after three and a half years sur lie, in April 2018, we decided to bottle it. We then decided to leave it  another year in bottle before offering it for sale. For us, the 2014 Château Thébaud is a wine with a great potential for cellaring. In its youth, the wine was very austere but the prolonged élevage sur lie allowed it to develop well and it benefited further from the additional year in bottle. Recent tastings of the wine confirm to us that we made the right choice for the aging, because it has the balance we hoped for with a finish of power and tension."

Coudert (Clos de la Roilette) 2019 Fleurie Clos de la Roilette

Considered one of the finest producers in Beaujolais, Clos de la Roilette has 9 hectares in Fleurie,  with an eastern exposure, bordering the Moulin-à-Vent appellation, and yields remarkably age-worthy Gamay.  The Couderts feel that their particular terroir (mainly clay and manganese) and the age of their vines (30 to 80 years old) account for the richness and intensity of their wines. They are deeply colored, richly perfumed and seriously structured wines of relatively small production. The 2019 is a bit more "classic" than the very ripe 2018,  and shows a deep red/garnet color with aromas of violet, ripe cherry, pomegranate and black raspberry, citrus zest and herbal notes; there is ample sweet cherry and raspberry fruit on the palate which is framed in firm acidity and prominent mineral and earth flavors, which continue in the long, sapid finish.  Delicious now and over the next five to eight years... David Lillie

Baudry, Bernard & Matthieu 2018 Chinon Rosé

Re-tasted in August 2020, the 2018 Baudry Rosé is singing it's beautiful song of great vintage, great terroir, great farming and perfect vinification with just a bit of more maturity in the complex aromas and a softer aspect to the ripe peach and berry fruits on the palate.  The Baudry 2018 Chinon Rosé  finished its fermentation much more quickly than last year, ending up quite dry at 2 grams RS/liter and 13.6% alcohol - a bit riper and more viscous than the 2017. This year's blend was 50% from clay/silex soils and 50% from gravel soils, as in "les Grézeaux." As always this is one of the most elegant and delicious of all French rosés, a reflection of the superb organic vineyard work and the great terroir possesed by the Baudrys as well as their great talent in vinifications with minimal added SO2. The 2018 Rosé is riper and fuller-bodied than the 2017, with gorgeous raspberry, strawberry and peach fruit backed by stone and mineral flavors and juicy acidity. Delicious now, this will drink beautifully over the next few years.

Baudry 2016 Chinon La Croix Boissée

(Last of stock of this classic Chinon) We've had the good fortune to taste the 2016 La Croix Boissée from vat or barrel three times - the first time showed vibrant lush deep black fruits and fabulous length which was confirmed in 2019 with the aromas a bit subdued by the élevage, showing floral black fruits and sensational length and elegance on the palate with cool red and black fruits, earth and mineral flavors. This will be a sensational mature Chinon, try to wait 8 years then drink until 2049 - yikes, I'll be 100 years old!

Baudry 2018 Chinon La Croix Boissée Blanc

The 2018 Baudry "La Croix Boissée" Blanc is a superb glass of Chenin Banc! From 15 - 25 year-old vines at the top of the south-facing  vineyard where the eroded limestone is barely covered with silica. The 2018 took one year to finsh fermentation in 500 liter barrels, the malo was done. The wine shows elegant, complex armas of chalk, citrus, quince, and stone; the palate is silky and cristalline with citrus, quince, pear, white peach and saline mineral flavors, finishing with terrific length and lingering hints of citrus, almond and stone. This belongs with the top dry Vouvrays and Anjou Secs - it's a unique and delicous expression of Chenin!  David Lillie

Baudry 2018 Chinon Cuvée Domaine

The Baudry "Cuvee Domaine" is near and dear to my heart, and not just because of the modest price. 75% of the blend is from a parcel in Saint-Louans, a spot where the thin clay/limestone soils give earthy well-structured wines, and which has been the source of some of my favorite Chinons, such as the legendary Clos du Parc de Saint-Louans of Louis Farou. 25%  of the blend is from gravel soils near Cravant, giving supple fruit and freshness. This is a great combination, making the wine enjoyable to drink young but with the structure and minerality of the more "serious" terroir. The 2017, for example is delicious to drink now, the 2010 is really singing and the 1989... if you can find one, let me know. The 2018 Domaine is a bit unusual in that the fermentation finished with 1.7 gr/liter of residual sugar, still a dry wine but forcing them to filter, which the Baudrys never do. At any rate, the wine is sensational - floral and elegant with aromas of black raspberry liqueur; the palate shows high-toned ripe black fruits, with violet and stone and a very long ripe finish. Enjoy in its exuberant youth or hold for ten years and more as the terroir shines through.  David Lillie

Descombes, Georges 2018 Fleurie Vieilles Vignes

Somewhat similar to 2009 - the last Beaujolais vintage that received huge point scores in the American wine press - the warm and dry 2018 vintage produced wines that are ripe and lush, but lower in alcohol and with brighter, fresher aromas and flavors than the 2009s. The 2019 Fleurie Vieilles Vignes shows a bright red/black color and aromas that are a beautiful blend of violet, black raspberry and blackberry with a bit of brown spice and citrus. The grainy textured  palate really shows the granite terroir, with very earthy black fruit liqueur, licorice and stone flavors in the long finish. A very young wine, decant if drinking now, this serious Fleurie should really sing after a few years in the cellar, drink until 2030+  David Lillie

Descombes, Georges 2018 Morgon

Georges Descombes is one of the premiere vignerons in Beaujolais. His farming is certified organic and his winemaking is very traditional; using native yeasts, semi-carbonic maceration, and very little sulfur added at bottling.The 2018 Morgon showed beautifully, tasted with Georges in early February, a bit fuller and deeper than the Regnié and Brouilly, showing ripe aromas of raspberry and strawberry  with elegant strawbery liqueur, earth and minerals on the palate with terrific length. It's a gorgeous wine that should be served slightly chilled with just about anything - enjoy over the next three to five years. David Lillie

Descombes, Georges 2018 Regnie

The 2018 Regnié from Geroges Descombes is a finely balanced wine, even in a warmer vintage, Ripe and generous fruit is offset with lively acidity and a vivid intensity on the palate that keeps this wine lifted and fresh. On the nose there are high-toned aromas of red and black currant, strawberry, raspberry, black cherry, rose, violets, and licorice. The palate has soft and finely integrated tannins and shows notes of strawberry and raspberry liqueur, blackberry, pomegranate, orange peel, baking spice and a granitic minerality, especially on the complex and satisfying finish. This is a very versatile wine, and I wouldn't hesitate to pair with a wide range of foods, from roast chicken, to burgers or even a pork chop. It was equally at home accompanying the watching of a movie on the couch with just a little, hastily composed cheese plate for backup. A joyful wine for all occasions. Oskar Kostecki

Descombes, Georges 2018 Regnié Vieilles Vignes

The 2018 Regnié Vieilles Vignes was one of the stars in last winter's tasting showing gorgeous red and black raspberry aromas with earth, citrus and spice, really lovely. The palate is elegant and long with black cherry, prune and red fruit liqueur with earth and smoke, with underlying mineral, graphite flavors. The wine is beautifully balanced and fresh at 13 - 13.5% alcohol, powerful yet refined and delicate,  and will improve with a few years cellaring - but in such a nice place right now. This is an outstanding Beaujolais, simply delicious - serve cool with pork and lamb dishes, coq au vin, charcuterie, over the next ten years. EL