TN: 5 Frenchies

Domaine de Terrebrune, Bandol, (blanc), 2006
Bright glistening pale gold with glycerin streaks. This has a soapy cilantro and grassseed aroma. Cilantro repeats in the mouth, and a light citrus tone comes forth and finishes with a white pepper-jalapeño seed finish. Decent acidity, but has a short finish and comes across as rather one-dimensional. 13% B+

Chateau Renard Mondesir, Fronsac, 2003
Dark cherry red colored, with plummy lavender aromas. Deep plum, sweet and smooth, ripe and rich, but without resorting to charactacture. Very nice, especially for $13. 13.5% B+/A -

Raymond Usseglio, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, 2001
See-thru maroonish cherry red. Black olive tapenade and Japanese salted plum aromas, which come across on the palate as well, finishing with some cigar box, cedar and licorice. The tannins clamp down quickly on this one, leaving the finish a little short. Possible that the tannins outlive the fruit on this one? 14% [from the back label: 75% grenache, 15% syrah, 10% mourvedre] B/B+

François Childaine, Montlouis-sur-Loire, 'les Bournais', 2005
Color of dull brassy gold. Demerra sugar and quince on the nose. Honeyed quince, fresh-pressed cane juice, with a soft ripe honeydew finish. Lovely, and much better than this vintage's Tuffeaux, which was very fat and flabby. This is more lithe and watery, like the essence of fresh drawn well water. 11.5% A-

Lucie et Auguste Lignier, Morey Saint Denis, 2004
I keep drinking these 2004 red Burgundies and wonder what the hell other internet reviewers have been smoking. Let me say, THERE'S NO GREEN HERE. So if you want to eat your veggies, look eleswhere. This vintage has been all about pleasant drinkable pinot noir. Yes, they are lighter and won't keep long-term, but for the prices who can complain? This is full of spicy red fruits, bright raspberry, some musky aromas, and well-integrated oak in a light-to-medium bodied package. A deal at $25. 13.5% B+

Thanks for notes. I'm a Chidane fan, but have never seen this bottling.

I don't get much green in 2004 red Burgs (though I have run across a few). But I think that a more likely explanation than "THERE'S NO GREEN HERE." is that there's no green that you or I am sensitive to. I believe individual genetic sensitivities to various substances vary more than most of us think.

I believe individual genetic sensitivities to various substances vary more than most of us think.

True, Dale. I know I am not very sensitive to 'green' flavors, and actually enjoy them a little. Many people dislike Loire reds because of the mean green streak they can sometimes get.

[Jenise]

Mark, thanks to a gift from David Bueker I've had that 05 Bournais too. Our notes aren't dissimilar: "One of the best young Chenins I've had. I decanted it an hour before drinking. Honeysuckle and chalk with quince and lemon, very stylish and elegant, with other floral notes appearing here and there as we cruised through this bottle. Could drink this wine with almost anything, and we enjoyed it with a cold plate of smoked fish and cheese, but oddly it had me thinking about what a good pairing it would be for Mexican food (like a combo plate of enchiladas, rice and beans) in spite of the culture clash. We put a little aside to taste the next day, and of course it was everything it had been the day before but bolder and sharper. And, good as it is now, it's obvious this wine has great potential for aging."

Bandol Blanc, I think, can benefit from a couple of years in the cellar. This one does not seem to be up to snuff! Pity.