Domaine du Bel Air (Gauthier), Bourgueil, Les Vingt Lieux Dits

Dark reddish-purple in color. Full, forward & attractive nose of ripe fruit aromas of cherries, blueberries & plums with overtones of floral notes of violets, earthy/dusty notes, spices, olives, herbal notes & minerals. Medium bodied with a very good concentration of well balanced & smooth textured, ripe fruit flavors of cherries, blueberries & plums with spices, herbs & minerals. Lingering finish. Drink quite readily at present with decanting & airing but should develop slightly further from additional aging.

Loire Valley Cabernet Franc (Wine Library, Oxford Street) : Medium minus intensity aromas jubey red fruit, a little pencil shaving, mineral savoury notes. Juicy, fleshy, slightly dilute red hued fruits, silky tannins have a sandpaper rasp, slightly savoury on the finish, simple, skinny but okay.

a leafy and soil driven nose for this bottling with bell pepper, dark cooler fruits, violets, pyrazines and bitter chocolate. There's higher apparent acid than previous vintages and the fruit a little thinner, but I really like the savory leafy undertones here. While I often find Grant Mont and Clos Nouveau more impressive, from a pure pleasure standpoint, I tend to enjoy this bottling more in most vintages. This may be one where it's bigger siblings have the upper hand. …

-- popped and poured -- -- tasted non-blind over 2.25 hrs on Day 1; revisited on Days 2 and 3 -- NOSE: dark-fruited --- grape/blackberry jam; hint of pyrazine; not funky/bretty. BODY: violet-garnet color of medium-deep depth; medium-light to medium bodied. TASTE: Open and accessible; juicy; pyrazine and cherry Jolly Rancher candy; 2019 and 2020 vintages were more serious/structured. Some light-but-noticeable oak; no brett. This is a delicious, approachable daily drinker. Not much changed on Days 2 & 3 --- …

Medium intensity nose, with dark red and black fruits, pyrazines and violets. Juicy, medium bodied palate, med alc, med + acid. Chalky well integrated tannins, Sour cherries and jalapenos, long well balanced finish.

Dark color, medium full body, the nose is dusty, classic cab franc green; nice, reserved, bright fruit, some lightly chalky tannins, nicely balancing acidity. Enjoyable, uncomplicated, but interesting enough, classic Loire Franc. Enjoyable, and a very good value. Gets better at 24 and 48 hours, with a little more depth and intensity, classic franc pyrazines provide some nice bite, a nice weeknight wine.

A shy nose. Slightly under ripe blackberries and plums on the palate. Bright acidity. Good food wine, and, if slightly chilled, it also serves as a decent pre-dins summertime sipper.

(SYP) PNP. Small glass Blackberries, oak, pepper and some herbaceous notes.