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The June 2023 Auction: Part 1
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1 / 2Lot 545
Estimate: $85
Lightly scuffed, lightly wrinkled capsule, lightly marked label.
This auction has ended. Bidding is closed.
Collection name
Reviews
93VM
"Dark ruby. Spice-accented aromas of black raspberry, cherry and smoky minerals, along with emerging floral and cracked pepper nuances. Appealingly sweet and fleshy on the palate, offering juicy, spice-inflected black and blue fruit flavors that deepen through the back half. Finishes smooth and spicy, with a solid mineral thrust, well-judged tannins and resonating blue fruit character. 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 āSans Soufreā Cornas bottlings in France, especially at any restaurants in the area, jump on them, as they are amazing but generally donāt hold up to extended shipping journeys. Itās a very strong case for the ādrink localā argument. The 2020s have turned out fantastic, and Balthazarās 2019s and 2018s belie the hot conditions of those years, except they do have a bit more tannic structure than I usually detect; however, itās marginal and will likely allow the wines to age slower than usual."
Region
Red
Country
Score
"Dark ruby. Spice-accented aromas of black raspberry, cherry and smoky minerals, along with emerging floral and cracked pepper nuances. Appealingly sweet and fleshy on the palate, offering juicy, spice-inflected black and blue fruit flavors that deepen through the back half. Finishes smooth and spicy, with a solid mineral thrust, well-judged tannins and resonating blue fruit character. 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 āSans Soufreā Cornas bottlings in France, especially at any restaurants in the area, jump on them, as they are amazing but generally donāt hold up to extended shipping journeys. Itās a very strong case for the ādrink localā argument. The 2020s have turned out fantastic, and Balthazarās 2019s and 2018s belie the hot conditions of those years, except they do have a bit more tannic structure than I usually detect; however, itās 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.