Full bodied, good fruit, fine acidic finish. Enjoyed it with calamari. — 5 months ago
Pale lemon color with aromas of citrus, stone fruits and herb notes. On the palate flavors of apple, peach and lemon citrus with notes of honey and spice. Medium+ finish, vivid acidity, nice balance ending with lemon citrus and mineral character. Good now! — 6 months ago
The Hébrart domaine is located right on the Marne, in the village of Aÿ, catty-corner to Philipponnat. Their 1er cru Rosé, NV is a 60/40 mix of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, aged in INOX (with a small portion of the PN added as vin rouge aged in barrique). What’s most important, is that it’s delicious.
Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of an hour. The wine pours a very pretty pink color with a persistent mousse. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of ripe strawberry, raspberry, lemon, pink flowers, marzipan and limestone minerals. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+ with a lovely, creamy texture. Serious enough for the nerds; seriously gluggable for the revelers. Disgorged April of 2023. Drink now. — 7 months ago
Domaine Marc Portaz – Apremont 2021
Vin de Savoie AOC – Savoie, France 🇫🇷
Overview
Made from 100% Jacquère, this white comes from the alpine slopes near Chambéry. Apremont is one of the most famous crus of Savoie, known for producing crisp, mineral-driven wines that reflect their high-altitude terroir and limestone soils.
Aromas & Flavors
Delicate white flowers, green apple, lemon zest, and a touch of mountain herbs. Light, citrus-driven palate with a flinty minerality that lingers.
Mouthfeel
Lean, bright, and bone-dry, with zippy acidity and a refreshing, alpine finish. A classic mountain white—clean and precise.
Food Pairing
Perfect with fondue Savoyarde, raclette, lake fish (like perch or trout), or alpine charcuterie.
Verdict
A textbook Jacquère that delivers purity and freshness. Proof that alpine terroir wines can punch far above their weight in elegance and drinkability.
Personal Highlight
Enjoyed this bottle in Lausanne, Switzerland, where French alpine wines often sit side-by-side with Swiss Chasselas. A reminder of how borders blur when it comes to great alpine whites. Cheers! — 10 months ago
White peach, medium bodied. Medium citrus floral. Rounded mouthfeel. Lovely. — 4 months ago
Château La Tour de Bessan Margaux 2022 — Margaux, Bordeaux, France 🇫🇷
Overview
A classic Left Bank blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon · 30% Merlot · 5% Petit Verdot (estate typically varies slightly by vintage) delivering structure, elegance, and aromatic finesse. Great frame and graphite tension coming from the Cab Sauv., mid-palate polish thanks to Merlot, and liked how Petit Verdot brings subtle spice and color depth. A beautifully traditional, unclassified Margaux that punches above its weight.
Aromas & Flavors
Black cherry, blackberry, cassis, violet, pencil shavings, cedar, light tobacco, and crushed stone. Fruit stays fresh and pure with delicate floral lift typical of the appellation.
Mouthfeel
Medium-plus body with polished, fine-grained tannins. Dry, linear, and elegant rather than powerful. Balanced acidity keeps everything lifted and graceful with a clean, savory finish.
Food Pairings
Roast chicken with herbs, grilled lamb chops, duck breast, mushroom risotto, lentils, Comté or aged goat cheese. A very food-friendly claret.
Verdict
Proof that Margaux elegance doesn’t require classified growth pricing. Refined, honest, and beautifully composed. Delicious now with air, but easily cellar-worthy for 6–10 years.
🍷 Personal Pick
This is my kind of “weekday Bordeaux”, structured yet graceful, polished without heaviness. The sort of bottle that quietly disappears over dinner because everything just clicks.
Did You Know?
La Tour de Bessan is run by Marie-Laure Lurton (of the Lurton family estates) and is known for crafting textbook, terroir-driven Margaux expressions that emphasize finesse over extraction. — 5 months ago
2022 vintage. Medium-medium heavy body. Slightly less acidity than the same vintage Chenevottes and Verges Prem Cru offerings and an unctuous hint/suggestion or two. Big and varied citrus oils, ginger, pear, rain day gravel. A tad waxy as it warms up. Some oak but it never dominates...only gently elevates. Yet another 2022 vintage winner from Marc Morey. 3.9.26. — 4 months ago
Love it, great freshness, long aftertaste, amazing taste! — 5 months ago
Excellent. Bright cherry flavors. Long finish. Many years to go — 6 months ago
Perfect with our salmon dinner. Minerals stand out — 9 months ago
Thijs Hendriks
Magnum. 95+ — 10 days ago