Châteauneuf du Papes 2006 by Armand Dartois

We drunk this special French wine at a dinner with friends and chose it among many other fabulous wines in the wine collection of our host. I have to confess the choice was difficult, but this stylish bottle stand out. The other thing was my likeness to french wines.

The Châteauneuf du Papes by Armand Dartois, vintage 2006 is one of the best vintages of this wine. It comes from the southern Rhone region in France. The younger generation in Châteauneuf du Pape has taken seriously the farming in the vineyards. There are more organic and biodynamically run vineyards here than in any other appellation of France.

The sweet spot for drinking Châteauneuf du Papes is usually the first 5-6 years after the vintage. The has a long lasting finish and strong nose of berries and wild fruit, which makes the wine a pleasure for the senses. Very well balanced and very drinkable. The tannins was a bit too much, but overall - a great choice and a recommendation.

Beaujolais Nouveau 2010

I picked up this wine from the shelf of a local supermarket when going to visit my sister in her new apartment. It was recommended to my be a close friend who insisted to buy this "outstanding young french wine" and I was tempted. And yes, a few hours later, bottle empty, I could hardly focus on my driving, because the wine has got my head spinning from just a half glass. There is something about the young wine which is fascinating on its own.

Beaujolais Nouveau 2010 is very well-structured, lightweight and drinkable. The nose is of wild berries and pears. The colour is purple-pink.

The young Beaujolais Nouveau 2010 also has some interesting history behind it (there is even a page in Wikipedia about it, click here). It is made from the Gamay Noir a Jus Blanc grape (or simply Gamay) and is produced exclusively in the Beaujolais region of France. Every year, it is released on the third Thursday of November and is intended for immediate drinking (in general, it should not be kept for more than a year). By law in France, all grapes must be harvested by hand! It may sound just like a good marketing strategy, but it is worth it!

Baron Philippe de Rothschild Bordeaux 2008

This adorable French wine is from the vineyards of one of the most famous winegrowers in France - Baron Philippe de Rothschild. When I read his biography I was shocked. He is not only a famous wine grower, but also a member of the Rothschild banking industry, a Grand Prix race-car driver, a screenwriter and playwright, a theatrical producer, a film producer and a poet. Well, how is this possible? Is he good in all these fields? At the moment I can only say about his wine. It was splendid! The wine is an aromatic bouquet of cherries and strawberries. Classical dry, the taste is well integrated and balanced. A pleasant, full aroma of dried fruits and light red dark shade of red. The grapes are 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 60% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. Costing only about 8 Euro from supermarket, the wine is a good value for money.

Dulong Grand Vin de Bordeaux 2006

This French wine is great smooth red, pretty dry and with a soft floral hint. I liked its soft taste and wonderful fruity touches. I have given this bottle as a present to my sister and I only tasted a small glass, but I have to say I was charmed.

The Dulong winery is a family business which run for 5 generations. It is from the famous Bordeaux region in France, whcih produces the following varieties: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbek. The colourful combination of all these varieties makes the wines from this region very deep and tasteful. As the winemakers there say, each Bordeaux wine has its own personality. More information on Bordeaux wines you can find here.

The Bordeaux wines with Merlot go very well with spicy Asian or Oriental cuisine, because the smoothness of the wines balances the fire of the spice.

A recommendation for a lovely dinner.

Bacalis Minervois 2002

This was a very different taste. I cannot really describe it. Maybe I am too used to the taste of Bulgarian and Spanish wines that I cannot really accept something really different. French wines ARE different.

Bacalis Minervois, vintage 2002, impressed me with its different taste and smell. I cannot even say what the smell really felt like - maybe like an old, vintage wardrobe, or something really strange.

After the first glass, the taste became more acceptable and I could have drunk all the rest on my own :) Fortunately, I was with a very loud and funny friends circle, who said that the wine was amazing and it was finished before I could taste another glass. So yes, I do recommend it. It was different, fun and... French.

It is definitely worth trying!


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