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The May 2023 Auction: Part 2
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1 / 2Lot 551
Estimate: $70
Lightly wrinkled, lightly scuffed capsule, lightly marked label.
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Collection name
Reviews
95VM
"Deep, shimmering ruby. Vibrant, spice- and mineral-driven red and blue fruit, floral and smoked meat qualities on the highly perfumed nose. Appealingly sweet and penetrating on the palate, showing a deft blend of power and delicacy to its boysenberry, black raspberry and exotic spice flavors. The floral and mineral notes recur strongly on a very long, incisive finish that's given shape by steadily building, polished tannins. Franck Balthazar is yet another tiny domaine in the region whose wines have become highly sought-after over the last decade; worldwide demand now far exceeds production. Predictably, market prices reflect this growth. Balthazar is a fastidious farmer and careful winemaker, which has earned him tremendous respect from his neighbors on the Cornas hill. All whole clusters are used here, no new oak, and as little sulfur as possible. If you ever encounter the unsulfured “Sans Soufre” Cornas bottlings in France, especially at any restaurants in the area, jump on them, as they are amazing but generally don’t hold up to extended shipping journeys. It’s a very strong case for the “drink local” argument. The 2020s have turned out fantastic, and Balthazar’s 2019s and 2018s belie the hot conditions of those years, except they do have a bit more tannic structure than I usually detect; however, it’s marginal and will likely allow the wines to age slower than usual."
Region
Red
Country
Score
"Deep, shimmering ruby. Vibrant, spice- and mineral-driven red and blue fruit, floral and smoked meat qualities on the highly perfumed nose. Appealingly sweet and penetrating on the palate, showing a deft blend of power and delicacy to its boysenberry, black raspberry and exotic spice flavors. The floral and mineral notes recur strongly on a very long, incisive finish that's given shape by steadily building, polished tannins. Franck Balthazar is yet another tiny domaine in the region whose wines have become highly sought-after over the last decade; worldwide demand now far exceeds production. Predictably, market prices reflect this growth. Balthazar is a fastidious farmer and careful winemaker, which has earned him tremendous respect from his neighbors on the Cornas hill. All whole clusters are used here, no new oak, and as little sulfur as possible. If you ever encounter the unsulfured “Sans Soufre” Cornas bottlings in France, especially at any restaurants in the area, jump on them, as they are amazing but generally don’t hold up to extended shipping journeys. It’s a very strong case for the “drink local” argument. The 2020s have turned out fantastic, and Balthazar’s 2019s and 2018s belie the hot conditions of those years, except they do have a bit more tannic structure than I usually detect; however, it’s marginal and will likely allow the wines to age slower than usual."
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The world's most influential fine-wine producer and the benchmark for Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne and the Rhone. Its appellation (AOC) system codifies geography, grape and method, and its wines set the global standard for age-worthiness and terroir expression.
Spans the Syrah-driven northern crus of Cote-Rotie and Hermitage and the Grenache-based blends of the warmer south, led by Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Its wines are known for power, spice and warmth.
Syrah (Shiraz) produces dark, powerful reds with black fruit, pepper and smoked-meat notes. It yields elegant, perfumed wines in the northern Rhone and bold, rich styles in Australia.