Newfound Wines
Domaine Nicolas Faure
Aloxe-Corton Pinot Noir 2017
If I were Nicolas, with my newfound cult status and without some of Burgundy’s more hallowed sites at hand, I’d be tempted to push my wines to all sorts of extremities. Perhaps extract a little more, or sprinkle a little more oak, or reduce yields radically in some way. The goal here would be to make it ‘loud’, that is to have enough volume to imprint my wines into the minds of drinkers who will likely ever taste them once per vintage (the wine in focus had just 866 bottles produced - talk about being a unicorn). Maybe I’d even go so far to challenge the status quo and make a Grand Cru-slaying Bourgogne!
I’m not saying Nicolas isn’t planning or already doing any of this, but drinking the 17’ Aloxe Corton certainly didn’t feel like it, and for that I loved it. There was a certain rawness to the wine which I adored. It felt like a wine he wanted to make - not one made for the collectors or critics, but one made for good times with his mates. It felt genuine.
On day one, the wine was such great fun. A tinge of reduction mingled with the aromatic galore of pitch-perfect whole cluster vinification, followed by pure, juicy red fruits wrapped in particularly fine, lacy texture. It was very ‘glou glou’ in short, and if not for an undeniable inner density that begged to be unpacked, it would not have seen the light of the second day. I’m glad it did though, because on day two it was a truly a wine to ponder. The whole vibe seemed to darken with a myriad of flavours - fresh flowers now melded in with smoky incense, red fruits with plums, and earthy notes and warm spices arised. The intensity too seemed seemed to have increased, yet the appearance of a new vein of minerality kept the wine so digestible. It was just such a pleasure to drink that by the end of it, I was left feeling a little sad that I do not have any bottles of this left in the cellar. Bravo, Nicolas! Don’t change. — a year ago
Newfound Wines
Cemetery Vineyard Grenache 2018
Nice medium dark purple… amazing aroma of crushed strawberries, ripe blackberries, and a touch of savory rosemary. Medium weight, round, ripe, not jammy…nice hit of forest floor, crushed stone, and ‘shrooms. I’m not a huge Grenache-geek but this one works well primarily due to its restraint. I love everything I’ve tried from these guys. Nice to see Mendocino producing something remarkable apart from weed. — 2 years ago
Sandhi Wines
Central Coast Chardonnay 2019
Pretty good chard. Initially the lemon notes and the acidity were overpowering, after a couple of hours of aeration and ice cold temp the wine completely turned… Lemon and acidity were still there but brighter and less intense. Also some newfound minerals and even a slight sweet oak note on the finish. I was about the dismiss the whole bottle after the first glass, so glad I was patient and gave it another shot. — 3 years ago
Newfound Wines
Gravels California Grenache 2018
Tart fruit, maybe a bit of vine, rustic, does it well. — 3 years ago
Newfound Wines
Enz Vineyard Pinot Noir 2018
What a delight… 11.5 ABV Pinot Noir with Granor Farms marinated duck breast and oven roasted baby butternuts and griddled potatoes. Ripe, blackberry and black cherry notes… medium weight, bright acid/fruit balance. Growing complexity as it warms…. Long, loving finish. A surprise with this label. — a year ago
Newfound Wines
Shake Ridge Vineyard Mourvedre 2019
Medium garnet red with hints of smoke, leather, tobacco on the nose. Lighter on attack than anticipated, but holy s@hit does this wine take off in your mouth! Blackberry, ripe black cherry, sweet baking spices, and viscous round notes of forest floor and mushroom. The wine is lithe and alive, but coating your mouth with tooth-staining goofy grapiness! The wine cries out for food, rich, wintry, braised food. It’s pleasing young, but I have an idea it would improve with 3-5 years…maybe more. Not a boring wine… positively boisterous.., looking for a party! Well done! — 2 years ago
Doug Griffin
Delicious. A proper Grenache. World needs more Grenache — 2 months ago