As Napoleon is reputed to have said, “Champagne: in roaring economies you deserve it, in recession you need it.” OK, the energetic emperor did not actually say that. (The proper quote, according to legend anyway, is, “Champagne: in victory you deserve it, in defeat you need it.”) But it is
The most curious thing happened a few years ago. One of the great wine regions of the world became passé in one of the largest wine markets. Bordeaux was becoming hard to find in the United States. Oh, the Classified Growths and the rarefied boutique darlings maintained their stratospheric price
In the glass, there’s a profusion of very small bubbles. Aroma opens with light notes of yeast and agar, a hint of toast, later becoming toastier, almost caramelized. The first sip is raspberry and lemon. A creamy mouthfeel gives way to a combination of fruit and tartness on the palate
In the glass, there’s a profusion of very small bubbles. Aroma opens with light notes of yeast and agar, a hint of toast, later becoming toastier, almost caramelized. The first sip is raspberry and lemon. A creamy mouthfeel gives way to a combination of fruit and tartness on the palate
Sweet cherries and funk on the nose. On the palate, rhubarb, cherries, and brown sugar lead. Strawberries and sage, with a light background of anise, appear on the mid-palate. Sage, mixed red fruits, vanilla, and brown sugar linger on a mid-length finish. Acids are high, tannins very smooth, together offering
“Picpoul de Pinet?,” says a woman doubtfully, picking up a green tinted bottle under the “staff’s favorite” sign at a trendy Manhattan wine shop. Though the label is hip and modern, reading "PIC" in giant red block letters, it appears to have the appellation's ancient coat of arms branded on
A bit of an odd duck of cru Beaujolais, to my palate of thinking. Starts off with nice bright cherry and blackberry on the nose, but the follow through is disappointing. Fruit seems one-dimensional and the tannins are more pronounced than I would have expected, giving the wine a dusty
Blackberries, briars, black pepper, and nutmeg waft up from the glass. On the palate blackberries, real licorice, pecan shells and soy make a complex array of flavors. The finish lingers. Tannins are still very tight - this would benefit from-read more-