Latest Mark Hanes Newsletter is Out! Hanes is back from Bordeaux, where he tasted through the 2003 vintage, and his current issue is featuring a range of French wines. Here are the hot reviews: Closel, Domaine du Savennières Clos du Papillon, Loire Chenin Blanc 2002, $23.99 Slightly dull, thick-necked golden straw color, trim rims. Broad and flat in the nose, very chalky, smoked lemon peel, bit of dried honey, the white smoke notes give it lift, offers peach, apricot, melon scents, turns lightly grassy on the dissolve. Full-bodied, odd touch of caramel peeks through on the entry. Not impassive but a bit taciturn at the moment, spicy with some prickle, even if the acidity remains more blunt than sharp. The lemon/lime citrus punctures the surface during the mid-palate, although overall maintains a semi-creamy texture. Chewy, hard to break through the skin of the peach, pear, melon fruit. The spice becomes heightened on the back end although it clamps down firmly as it finishes, due to relax and release in 12-15 years. 92 Closel, Domaine du Savennières Les Caillardières, Loire Chenin Blanc 2002, $21.99 Glassy gold color, full to the rim, shimmers with layers. Strong mint, lemon oil on the nose, lesser degrees of minerals and violet-driven florality, lovely ripeness to the pineapple, mango, peach fruit scents, generously layers itself in your nostrils. Medium to full-bodied, nicely bracing acidity keeps it firm throughout. Vibrant tang to the tangerine, orange, pink grapefruit citrus. The honey tones sweeten things but not for long with that acidity around. Loaded with peach, apricot, nectarine, pineapple fruit, sparkles well. Light saline quality to the chalk and minerals. Wiry grip, you can feel its fingers’ tendons tighten. 91 Pépière, Domaine de la Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Sur Lie Cuvée Eden Cuvée Vieilles Vignes, Loire Muscadet 2002, $11.99 Clean, semi-transparent green-gold color, light rims. Spicy nose, strong lemon peel and white smoke scents, minerals and bitter straw, peach and pear fruit, remarkable determination. In the mouth shows a great deal of density and borderline stolidity but the ripeness of the apricot, pear, apple fruit excites it some. The lemon and grapefruit citrus has tang but also enough sweetness to take the edge off. Acidity really dries it out during the mid-palate, pushing it almost too far. Has all the chalk, minerals, straw flavors you’d need and then some. Really grinds through the finish, busting gaskets left and right. Right now, even has too much raw power for Iggy. 90 Maréchal, Catherine et Claude Bourgogne Cuvée Gravel, Burgundy Pinot Noir 2001, $18.99 Light, clear ruby color, stable to the rim. Lemony and minerally nose, the leather and earth scents insouciantly defiant, tart and direct cherry, raspberry fruit, very erect nostril presence. Medium-bodied with a killer grip, strangles you with love. Gets in your face with olive, grass, leather, earth smacks and sour cherry, blackberry fruit. Very acidic, long and sinewy, refuses to relinquish your attention. Yeah, it’s tough love but it’s good love. 90
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I told Marc Olivier that he got a 90 when I went to visit him this morning, he was pretty happy...by the way, he told me you should still have some clos des briords 99 ?
I think I need to give up reading wine reviews if I can no longer figure out what is a put on. Does the Emperor have any clothes?
How do the spicy merlots look?
Pépière, Domaine de la Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Sur Lie Cuvée Eden Cuvée Vieilles Vignes, Loire Muscadet
Please....only wines that rate 95 or better....better yet, see if you can get any of the wines that rate at least 112.4573753
drank a papillon 98 the other night and it was still not yet regal |