On Friday, January 23, 2015 at 9:46:35 PM UTC+1, santiago wrote:
>
> But was it 2007 or 2009? Very (very) different vintages. 2007 is a very
> weak vintage, with plenty of diluted wines, and if you dislike french wines
> for being "thin and acidic" this is the kind of Bordeaux vintage to avoid..

It is actually 2007. Seems this winemaker held the fort during this vintage..


> For what is worth, considering french wine as thin and acidic is quite
> unfair, since France is quite a large country with a high diversity of
> terroirs. You cannot compare a red from Anjou and one from Languedoc-
> Roussillon.

Not familiar with those. I know a Côtes de Castillon 20E chat. de gasparde prestige I like, as it has the right notes, but still a bit thin, hahah, but then I tried other wines from that region and they were not good.

> If you like riper reds, I think you should concentrate on Saint Emilion in
> Bordeaux,

I've had some saint emilions before. Also some fancy primier cru that the store was so proud of. Horrible. Thin and acidic,yes. its how I got that idea that thats how french wine is, together with burgundy. Rhone is different..


> and then the wines closer to the Mediterranean Sea: Languedoc
> Roussillon, Rhone Sud, Provence...

I think it is mostly nothern rhone I like. Syrah driven. cotes du rhone and du pape is not my thing. Or is north/south vice versa? I used to like cotes du rhone, but my taste changed a bit. I can still find some I like, but it is probably one bottle per 2 years I get. Never was satisfied with a chat.. du pape (that's the kind of 40E wine I regret buying - Im much more satisfied with a 100E napa rutherford cab (price in california) or a 100E supertuscan (price in italy). I havent tasted a 100E du pape, so maybe Id like that, but Im not going to risk that unless I have a chance to taste one so I know I would like it).

> A hint: Domaine de la Janasse Vin de Pays de la Principauté d'Orange "Terre
> de Bussiere". A wine of 12 euros that tastes as a wine of 25 euros. And it
> is clearly ripe (which is the style of Janasse). If you find Janasse thin
> and acidic, then clearly french wine is not for you.

its 10E here, reviews are happy about it. they do mention a funny thing in the notes: "ox blood". LAst time I was in my fav. wine store, we were talking about my taste and that I think french wine has a tendency to taste like veal blood (and more acid and thinner than Im used to in my fav. wines). He also noted that the bourdeuax wines I prefer have more cabernet then merlot, and those I dont like have more merlot.

and behold, speaking of saint emilion: "the primary grape varieties used are the Merlot and Cabernet Franc, with relatively small amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon also being used by some chteaux."