This is another wine review of the ‘Bat’s Cave Tasting Series‘: wines that I taste and describe a little more lightly than the usual and very comprehensive Social Vignerons reviews.
More lightly in length, but just as seriously in the tasting approach and the authenticity in my opinion on the wine that is given.
Score: 87/100
I have to admit here that I felt a little deceived going home just after buying this wine and examining the bottle. I’m the one to blame ! I got a little confused in the wine aisle (yes, it happens to me too!!) and chose a little too quickly.
Saint-Véran wines offer a good quality/price ratio generally speaking when you’re looking for an affordable Burgundy Chardonnay. You pay for the winemaking attention and the terroir that goes into any Burgundy Chard, but the appellation not being very well-known compared to the stars in the region (Chablis, Puligny, or Meursault for example), but you don’t pay for the ‘Burgundy brand’.
But in this case, the ‘Le Clos’ name of the cuvée that is put forward on the label, got me to believe I was going for a small grower wine, a vigneron wine which is often my first choice when buying wine.
It turned out to be a negociant wine, from a producer that buys grapes and/or wine from various producers to blend and sell under his own label. Not that it’s a bad thing per se, or that you should presume anything about the quality of the wine because of it (some negociant do a great job at it), but it IS a little deceiving on the labeling front.
But how does the wine actually taste?
Tasting Notes:
Color is rather standard for the style, medium-intensity lemon yellow.
Palate has a good balance, good acidity well in the typicity of the style (cool climate Chardonnay), some body, and a touch of complexity.
This is not a bad wine, but lacking a little character and some out-of-the-ordinary feel for a French Burgundy white. An good flavor intensity, but sulphuric (from sulphur dioxide or SO2)characters too present on the finish.
Enjoyed it for what it is, and for the reasonable price. But wouldn’t buy it again as the pleasure-to-price ratio wasn’t up to my standards.
Cheers
Please let me know your thoughts