La Turque 2006

The colour is medium garnet. On the nose spices, smoke, meat, leather, wet ground, dark fruits, cocoa, black olives. A nose that is constantly changing and that is fun to keep revisiting. In the mouth smooth and powerful, with a good acidity. The tannins come through on the finish. There is only one thing holding this wine back from greatness: a mild vegetative note mild palate. The aftertaste is long.

La Turque is made by Guigal with 93% Syrah and 7% Viognier grapes under the Côte-Rôtie appellation of the northern Rhône. Continue reading “La Turque 2006”

Viognier Varone 2020

The colour is medium gold. On the nose aromas of apricot, peach, citrus, peanuts, chamomile and minerals. On the mouth fresh and elegant, with a lemon-flavoured aftertaste that last for quite some time.

This wine is made with 100% Viognier grapes by Maison Varone.

Viognier is a unique grape variety known to produce full-bodied white wines. It is the premier white grape of Northern Rhone (France). Continue reading “Viognier Varone 2020”

Côte-Rôtie Brune et Blonde de Guigal 2009

The colour is deep garnet. Complex nose of raw meat, plumbs, rosemary, burned wood, baking spices. In the mouth fresh, fine tannins, well balanced and savoury. The aftertaste last for quite a while.

It is a wine that with time keeps evolving: a delight to drink!

This wine is made by Guigal, a domain founded in 1946 by Etienne Guigal. Continue reading “Côte-Rôtie Brune et Blonde de Guigal 2009”

The Chocolate Block 2016

The colour is medium ruby. On the nose at first closed. With some air, dark berries and smoky notes show up. Despite the name, no chocolate whatsoever. In the mouth velvety and fruity, with an enjoyable drying finish. The aftertaste is pleasant, but short.

The Chocolate Block is a barrel-aged red wine made by Boekenhoutskloof winery in the Franschhoek Valley (“French corner” in Dutch), a broad vineyard-lined valley that has been producing wine since the 17th Century, when exiled French Huguenots brought their viticultural know-how to their new home in South Africa. Continue reading “The Chocolate Block 2016”

Côte-Rôtie Brune et Blonde de Vidal-Fleury 2009

The colour is medium purple. At first the nose is dominated by animal musk. Fortunately, with some air it fades away and leaves space to more pleasant earthy notes and some prunes. In the mouth an explosion of savour characterises the final. An enjoyment that seems to finish abruptly, only to surprise a few seconds later by coming back for a long-lasting aftertaste rich in fruity sensations. Continue reading “Côte-Rôtie Brune et Blonde de Vidal-Fleury 2009”

Aigle Noir Viognier 2016

When you open the bottle you are confronted with a synthetic cork, which I personally find absolutely anti-erotic.

The colour is pale gold, a first sign of the fact that this Pays d’Oc IGT wine is a less rich expression of the grape than the Viognier produced in the Condrieu AOC, which tend to display a deep golden colour. Continue reading “Aigle Noir Viognier 2016”