France

Organic

Jeb Dunnuck on a previous vintage:
A richer styled wine (I've compared this cuv??e to a Chardonnay from Mark Aubert), the 2020 Novellum has a medium gold hue as well as a rich, powerful bouquet of caramelized lemon, honeyed almonds, candle wax, and toasted bread. Rich, medium to full-bodied, beautifully textured, and balanced, this is another no brainer purchase.

Is this Sancerre in disguise? This refreshing white wine has all the makings of Sancerre and cost under $20! Lip smacking acidity and minerality dominate the palate. Crisp with subtle citrus notes that finishes bone dry. 100% Sauvignon Blanc from old vines.

Quincy does produce exceptionally high quality Sauvignon Blanc, much like Sancerre, but at a much more affordable price. The cost of Sancerre has skyrocketed over the years with it?€?s immense popularity and recent difficult vintages. So the savvy Sancerre drinker should be looking towards regions such as Quincy to get their high-acid, mineral driven white wine fix.

Today?€?s wine happens to be produced by an outstanding Sancerre winery, Domaine Sylvain Bailly. This is one of our favorite Sancerre producers, who really created something special with their Quincy botting.

The Bailly family have been vignerons in Sancerre from father to son since 1700. Like most winemaking families in France who suffered from the phylloxera blight in the late 19th century and then the two world wars of the 20th century, it was only in the early 1950's that Sylvain Bailly began to prosper and grow his business. His son Jacques has took the helm in the late 1980s and today, his daughter Sonia manages the estate.

Winery Notes
On the nose, a wide range of fragrances, from vegetal with ivy and acacia to fruity with peach and lychee. A fresh start, opening for persistent mineral and fruity notes with a lingering finish on the palate.

90 points Wine Advocate
Tasted twice, two months apart, with consistent notes, the 2020 C??tes du Roussillon Bastide Miraflors is a 70-30 blend of Syrah and Grenache, aged in demi-muids and concrete tanks, respectively. There's a hint of peppermint, but the primary focus here is on the fruit, ranging from blueberries and mulberries into darker notes of plum and dark chocolate. It's full-bodied and creamy in texture, with deliciously supple, soft tannins, which make it exceptionally easy to drink now, but maybe not particularly long-lived.

Organic

From vines near the eastern coast of Corsica, below the massif of Castagniccia. The proximity of the sea protects the vineyard from excessive drought, while the neighboring mountains (which reach a height of more than 2500 metres) generate cool air at night that refreshes the grapes and allows them to recover from the stress of the daytime heat.
Their winemaking philosophy is straightforward and lends itself to a style that speaks of the place with a clear voice of each grape?€?s primary characteristics, with little intervention. The fermentations are all natural and the wines are bottled after a short time in vat with sulfites kept to a minimum; it?€?s easy to feel this deft touch through these wines bursting with pleasure; even her Sciacarello, a thin framed, fresh and aromatic red (often over-sculpted in other cellars) is a darling here with no uncertainty in its naturally sensual aromas.

Winemaker Notes:
"This crisp, fruit-forward and juicy wine has expressive aromas and flavors of ripe red berries, with nice heft in the mouth, and mineral and spice notes. Most red meats and grilled or roasted white meats, especially those prepared with savory herbs or spices."

40% Sauvignon Blanc, 40% Semillon and 20% Muscadelle

The wine is aged on the lees for about 3 weeks, which accounts for its round, smooth, and remarkably fruity flavor.
Food Pairing: It is ideal as an aperitif, or with fish, seafood (a must with oysters), and cheese.
Aging Potential: Best enjoyed young (2 years).

Located southwest of Bordeaux in the commune of Haux, Ch??teau Lamothe has crafted estate-bottled wine since the 16th century. For four generations succession was passed down on the mother?€?s side and since 1956 the estate has been run by the N??el-Chombart family. Over the past 60 years the family has amassed prime vineyard land which now spans 80 hectares of clay and limestone slopes on the Right Bank. Additionally, they restored the distinctive fa??ade of the historic chateau (now pictured on all Lamothe labels) and renovated the 17th century limestone quarries into underground cellars ideal for aging.

Vigneron Damien Chombart believes that sustainable farming is not only stewardship of the land, but also as a way to enhance the life of farmers, communities and society. It is a holistic challenge the connects economic success in agriculture with environmental and social responsibilities for all involved.

If we had our way, fish stores would include a bottle of Muscadet with every dozen oysters sold. But barring new regulatory measures of food and drink, picking up a bottle of Muscadet should be as much of a given as dressing for salad; bread for a sandwich; a steak knife for a steak! That's how perfect and an integral this wine is with briny, East Coast oysters (or any shellfish, truly!). Here, Pepiere's version is bright and briny, with a little lemon meringue and lemon verbena on the nose, and that clear, bracing minerality that keeps you coming back for another sip (and another oyster!). -- PJ

The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannin and unashamedly classic in style. The classy, tobacco-tinged finish feels long and satisfying. Excellent value.

Organic

The review is on a previous vintage.
92 points Jeb Dunnuck
Moving to the reds, the 2020 Vacqueyras Les Hauts De La Ponche is 50% Grenache and 25% each of Syrah and Mourv??dre. It actually reminds me of a Pomerol with its red and blue fruits as well as bouquet garni, damp earth, and floral nuances. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, I love its balance, and it has silky tannins and remarkable purity of fruit. Drink bottles over the coming 7-8 years.

Crisp blackberry and plum flavors are edged by earthen nuances of bramble and forest floor in this full-bodied blend of 75% Grenache and 25% Syrah. It?€?s juicy but briskly concentrated, framed by ripe, integrated tannins. Enjoy this mouthfilling but easy-quaffing red while it?€?s young.

Organic

This is the most important wine of the estate, a serious red vinified to reflect its capacity to age. The grapes are harvested at a point of slight surmaturit?? which captures the profound scents and flavors of the surrounding hillside garrigue. The cuvaison continues for at least a month; then, the wine is racked into tank for aging. The wine is bottled twenty to twenty-four months after harvest. As the wine ages in bottle, it develops enticing notes of juniper, rosemary and thyme as well as the savory flavors of wild berries and a hint of the "animal" all in all, one of the more compelling values in all of France.

Winemaker Notes:
"Pale yellow and limpid. Green apple, hawthorn and white blossoms, citrus aromas and exotic fruits. Fresh and well-balanced, lot of fatness and length."

Blending of Grenache Blanc, Clairette and Bourboulenc. Mainly clay and calcareous soils. The wine is aged in vats without malolactic fermentation.

90 points Wine Enthusiast
This rich, juicy wine full of black fruits and ripe tannins is set for long-term aging. The wine's density and acidity enhance its potential. Drink from 2025

Ch??teau de la Chaize is one of the oldest, most historic estates in Burgundy's Beaujolais region. Boasting over 250 acres of land, it is also one of the largest. This stunning property ?€? designated an Historic Monument in 1972 ?€? was designed by Mansard, with gardens by Lenotre, designers of the Palace of Versailles, just outside of Paris.

A blend of 80% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% Chardonnay, the Cazin Cheverny features bright citrus aromas and complex mineral notes. The palate is deep, surprisingly full-bodied, with great acid and remarkable length. The Sauvignon Blanc stays on the lees until the end of November." Importer notes

Located in the eastern Loire, just south of Blois, the little known appellations of Cheverny and Cour-Cheverny are a must for any fan of Loire wines. Cheverny, the larger of the two appellations, consists of Sauvignon dominated wines while the tiny Cour-Cheverny zone must be made from the ancient Romorantin variety. Both zones have clay, limestone and silica soils. Francois Cazin hand harvests his old vines at yields that are well below average in any given year. His Cheverny is fresh and floral, with appley-texture and crisp acidity. The flavors are sleek and precise.

94 points Wine Independent
Medium garnet-purple in color, the 2020 Marjosse Rouge needs a little coaxing to reveal notes of cast-iron pan, crushed rocks, and dusty soil over a core of red plums, blackberry preserves, and mulberries, plus a hint of bay leaves. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is tightly knit with fine-grained tannins and bold freshness supporting the nuanced black and red fruits, finishing long and minerally. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown

The Wine Independent Top 50 QPR Wines of 2023

The final list of this year's top QPR wines was eye-opening even for me. Bordeaux is the unqualified winner at the Under $25 end. In fact, the best value for quality wine across all price categories is available at an average global cost of $14 on Wine-Searcher. It?€?s the 2020 Chateau Marjosse Rouge. I was blown away by the quality of Marjosse when tasting the 2020s earlier this year, and even more so when I saw the price.

91 points Decanter
A touch of reduction on the nose which clears as it relaxes in the glass. This is well put together, has definition and finesse, and is punching above its weight in the appellation. Ambitious, well managed tannins and juicy red fruits; 2% Malbec completes the plantings. I don't have the 2020 blend.

90 points James Suckling
This shows notes of ripe berries, vanilla, licorice, crushed walnut and cocoa. Medium-bodied with ripe, supple tannins and a creamy texture. Fruit-forward and flavorful.

Organic / Biodynamic

Mas des Capitelles?€? workhorse Vieilles Vignes is built on the backs of Mourv??dre (50%) and Carignan (25%) from vines up to 80 years old, with Syrah (25%) completing the blend. After a 30-day maceration with a small proportion of semi-carbonic whole clusters in the fermentation, one-fifth of the cuv??e was aged in oak and four-fifths in fiberglass and enamel vats, with bottling taking place after 14 months. An exuberant nose of blueberries, violets, and warm dust evokes the sun-scorched slopes of the appellation in visceral fashion, and the palate sizzles with an almost spiky minerality, framed by rich but firm blue and black fruits. The balance of refinement and wildness here is extraordinary, with neither trait calling too much attention to itself.

Mas des Capitelles began in 1999, when ninth-generation vigneron Jean Laug?? began bottling his own wine after a lengthy stint at the local co-operative, where his father's a driving force in the creation of the Faug??res appellation in the early 1980's had served as president.

91 Points Wine Enthusiast
The home chateau of the group of properties owned by the Guyon family, this estate has produced a solid very ageworthy wine. It has dark tannins and rich juicy black fruits. With its structure and bright berry and plum flavors, it will not be ready to drink before 2020.

91 Points James Suckling
The savory and earthy notes give this a lot of personality.

89 points Vinous
The 2014 Chateau Rollan de By is a gorgeous Cru Bourgeois. Dark blue and purplish fruit, tobacco, lavender and menthol meld into a core of dark fruit. Exuberant, racy and super-expressive, the 2014 is one of the under-the-radar gems of the vintage. Drink it over the next decade. Alain Raynaud is the consulting winemaker. Drinking window: 2017-2026

?€?Now here is a gem of a wine for you Bordeaux enthusiasts, Chateau Rollan de By Cru Bourgeois Medoc 2014. This Cru Bourgeois will appeal to Bordeaux lovers with a die-hard traditionalist palate. This has all the leather, tobacco leaf, cedar and forest floor you crave and has ten years of bottle age! It is drinking in a sweet spot right now displaying evolved fruit notes, not the youthful vibrancy you would experience with a new vintage like 2021. Oh, not to mention the going price for the 2021 vintage is $45-$50!

Chateau Rollan de By has 45 hectares planted to 70% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc and 10% Petit Verdot. They have a terroir of clay and gravel soils. The vines at Chateau Rollan de By are old, with an average age of 35 years. The wine is aged in a combination of 90% new, French oak barrels and 10% new, American oak barrels for an average of 12 months.

100% Merlot aged one year in a combination of neutral oak and steel tank. Medium-bodied, easy drinking Bordeaux with mild tannins. The brambly fruit has a radiance that makes it a pleasure to drink. Truly amazing value and a pleasure to drink, with lovely supple fruit and fine gravelly notes to complete the profile. A baby Graves to drink every night!

Ch??teau Cantelaudette is part of the Bordeaux holdings of the Chatelier family, which also owns Ch??teau Chatelier (formerly known as Ch??teau Fantin). The estate, located in the appellation of Graves de Vayres, was established by the family in 1870. At the time, as was the custom, they planted a variety of crops including grapes.

Ch??teau Cantelaudette is set between the cities of Bordeaux and Libourne in the northern part of the Entre-Deux-Mers region on a plateau overlooking the Dordogne River. The proximity to both the river and the ocean brings a warming influence that helps to fully ripen the grapes.

Jean-Michel is committed to improving the impact of farming on the environment and has obtained the demanding Haute Valeur Environnementale certification, which reflects excellence in the areas of biodiversity, plant protection, management of fertilizer use and management of water.

90-92 points Jeb Dunnuck
Always terrific, the 2023 Ch??teau Marjosse Blanc is no exception and has vibrant crushed citrus, lemon zest, and minty herb notes in its medium-bodied, bright, racy, mineral-driven profile. It's a beautiful white well worth seeking out.

90-92 points The Wine Independent
The 2023 Marjosse Blanc sings of freshly squeezed lemons, lime blossom, and juicy pears plus hints of elderflower and dill seed. The medium-bodied palate delivers impressive intensity, with a silky texture and great tension, finishing with a spicy lift. Nice! (LPB)

90 points Vinous
The 2023 Marjosse Blanc is delicious. Crisp and inviting, the 2023 will make a delightful ap??ritif-style white over the next few years. Crushed rocks, mint, white pepper and lime lend lovely nuance throughout. Floral top notes and tropical overtones really explode on the finish. Tasted two times. (AG)

Organic / Biodynamic

90 points Jeb Dunnuck
Based on 70% Syrah and 30% Grenache, the 2020 Syrah La Touge has a pretty, juicy, up-front, and medium-bodied style as well as classic Minervois elegance. With complex notes of mulberries, new leather, peppery garrigue, and dried flowers, it's drinking nicely today yet should easily evolve for 4-6 years. It's a hidden little gem of a Syrah from the Languedoc

Cremant d?€?Alsace Brut CATTIN is a dry and fruity sparkling wine with delicate bubbles. It?€?s the perfect drink for celebrations!

Appearance: bright pale gold; fine bubbles.
Nose: fresh; green apple and white flowers.
Palate: fresh and dry palate; lively acidity balanced with fruitiness of green apple and lemon; fine and creamy bubbles.

A single-vineyard wine made by the winemaking team of Margaux estate Ch??teau Siran, this wine has structure, dense tannins and layer upon layer of black fruits.??

80% Merlot, 10.5% Petit Verdot, and 9.5% Cabernet Sauvignon. From an eleven hectare single-vineyard plot on the Margaux border. 25 year-old vines planted in a sandy gravel subsoil with clay topsoil. Fermented in stainless steel and aged for twelve months in French oak, with two rackings.

"This outstanding property in Labarde in the southern part of the Margaux appellation is making consistently delicious, fragrant, deeply colored wines that are in quality on a par with the best Grands Bourgeois Exceptionnels." - Robert Parker, Bordeaux: The Definitive Guide For The Wines Produced Since 1961

Chateau Siran is a highly regarded Bordeaux producer vinifying wine in Margaux. We have had a vintage or two of their Margaux over the years, but we didn?€?t know they produce a second wine named Saint Jaques De Siran. And it is this wine that recently knocked our socks off while tasting through an assortment of French wines. Saint Jacques de Siran is a throwback to the Bordeaux of yesteryear with its oak-influenced characteristics. This is not a new-aged, acid-driven Bordeaux all about upfront juicy fruit. No, this has all those classic notes that made Bordeaux popular in the first place, like cedar, saddle leather, tobacco leaf, and dried fruits. I had a flashback while tasting this that it was the early 2000s and I had Bordeau from the nineties in my glass!

Chateau Siran has long been recognized as one of the top estates in Margaux. The property has been in the Miailhe family for six generations?€? a total of 160 years. Today, the property covers 88 hectares, with 38 hectares planted to vines. The other fifty hectares are left as woods and meadows, for their beauty and to promote biodiversity, a priority of the Siran team.

The majority of Chateau Siran?€?s vines are planted in the commune of Margaux, but they also have a very special 11 hectare parcel on the border, which is classified as Bordeaux Superieur and bottled as ?€?Saint-Jacques de Siran?€?. The terroir here has clay topsoil over the famous Bordeaux sandy gravel subsoil. The vines are planted at a density of 5,000 vines per hectare and average 25 years old. The Miailhe family has practiced sustainable agriculture since 2000 and the vineyards have been certified sustainable, HVE3 since 2018. Only organic fertilizers are used and they work with grass cover and plowing to control weeds

Winemaker Notes:
"An intense nose, dominated by red fruit, with spices and some oak notes; a round and supple wine with well knit tannins on the palate."

Organic / Biodynamic / Natural

Its truth is revealed on the palate: intense, succulent, mineral and slightly nutty. This Muscadet has stringent acidity which leads to a long and salty finish. As minerally refreshing and satisfying as it is now, it clearly will age up to five years continuing to develop even more depth and complexity.

Dry