Les Dégustations Ugo

Château de Carles 2016 is like a warm embrace from Fronsac. Luscious, silky, and deep, yet approachable. . Fronsac red, Château de Carles cuvée from Château Haut de Carles . Vintage: 2016 . 🍇: 90% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 5% Malbec . 👀: In the glass, it’s a deep garnet—almost black at the core—reminiscent of the leather on a vintage jacket. Swirl the glass, and it lights up with brilliant ruby ​​highlights. Dense and a touch mysterious, but not austere. It’s not the brooding goth sitting at the back of the class; it’s the cool guy in the leather jacket. . 👃: First impression: black cherry—the kind you’ve just crushed in your hand—blackcurrant, and a hint of candied strawberry. It’s ripe, clean, and vibrant. Then it opens up and gets a bit more playful: blond tobacco, sweet spices, a touch of licorice, and an undertone of damp earth and wet chalk—that clay-rich character reminding you that Fronsac isn't sand; it’s real soil that clings to your boots. Warm, a bit rog...

An accessible, rich, and well-crafted Pessac-Léognan that proves you can have structure without needing an oenology dictionary. . Château de France Pessac-Léognan Red . Vintage: 2020 . 🍇: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot . 👀: Deep garnet color—almost black at the core—with lovely ruby ​​highlights when swirled. Visually, it’s dense and serious, yet not austere. . 👃: Initial nose: black fruits, blackcurrant, blackberry, and ripe cherry. As the glass breathes, it gains complexity: a touch of vanilla, cedar, and sweet spices, along with that slight smoky/woody character typical of a carefully aged Bordeaux. There’s a ripe fruit quality that reminds me of blackberry jam spending an evening in an old wood-paneled library. It’s not an overly showy nose that jumps right out at you. . 👄: The attack is clean and direct, with prominent fruit flavors. The Cabernet provides the backbone—structure, freshness, and tannins—while the Merlot rounds it all out with its fleshier, richer charact...

The 2024 Come des Amoureuses cuvée is a Chardonnay that champions freshness, precision, and pure drinking pleasure. . Domaine Fery Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Beaune Blanc, La Come des Amoureuses cuvée . Vintage: 2024 . 🍇: 100% Chardonnay . 👀: It looks luminous in the glass. A pale yellow hue with golden highlights brilliant, almost like a ray of sunshine that decided to take a holiday in Burgundy. Visually, there is no heaviness; it is clean, fresh, and precise. . 👃: First impression: white flowers, fresh apple, and pear, with a zesty lemon note that wakes up the senses. Then, the Chardonnay begins to tell a different story. Notes of fresh hazelnut and almond emerge, along with a delicate touch of butter and a hint of something stony almost chalky. It reminds me of an early morning walk in Burgundy: orchards still damp with dew, cool stones, the scent of fruit in the air... Then, gradually, the wine gains depth. No need for a sommelier’s dictionary here: it smells wonderf...

The 2023 La Dame isn’t a bottle trying to show off for the crowd; it’s simply out to please. . AOP Languedoc Red La Dame cuvée from Domaine Terre des Dames . Vintage: 2023 . 🍇: Grenache 45%, Carignan 35%, Syrah 20% . 👀: In the glass, it’s a deep red. The color is dark and brilliant, with lovely purple highlights. It promises fruit and substance, yet without the feeling that you’ll have to chew the wine. Visually, it feels warm and inviting. . 👃: And then... hello, basket of red and black fruit. Cherry, blackberry, raspberry, plum... followed by spices, a touch of pepper, and something wilder almost garrigue -like. It smells of the scrubland after a hot day: thyme, dried herbs, warm earth. The Carignan brings a slightly rustic, earthy edge that adds character; the Grenache balances it with fruit; and the Syrah shows up in a leather jacket to inject a bit of rock 'n' roll into the mix. . 👄: The attack is supple and generous. The fruit is prominent, yet the wine ne...

A Languedoc white with character generous yet taut proving that sunshine can also yield finesse. . IGP Pays de l'Hérault white from Domaine Mas Jullien . Vintage: 2021 . 🍇: 50% Carignan Blanc, Chenin (approx. 20–30%), Grenache Blanc (approx. 10%). The blend is rounded out by Southern white varieties (approx. 5%) that add complexity to the cuvée, notably Roussanne, Marsanne, Clairette, Viognier, and Gros Manseng. . 👀: In the glass, the wine displays a luminous golden-yellow hue, with highlights reminiscent of very pale olive oil caught in a sunbeam. It has a brilliant sheen. One anticipates a rather dense substance a texture that would coat the palate. . 👃: First swirl: the fruit is immediately apparent. Notes of ripe pear, yellow apple, and candied citrus emerge, conveying a sense of fully ripe fruit almost pastry-like. Then come touches of white flowers, fennel, and dried herbs. The Carignan Blanc adds a unique dimension, while the Chenin seems to introduce a cool b...

A Pinot Noir that relies more on charm than raw power. An elegant, lively bottle—and one that’s appetizing enough to make you want to move straight to the meal. . Santenay Rouge "Vieilles Vignes" (Old Vines) from Domaine Louis Lequin et Fils . Vintage: 2020 . 🍇: 100% Pinot Noir. Old vines aged 45 to 60 years. . 👀: First impression: a luminous ruby ​​red, with that characteristic Pinot Noir transparency. You don’t need an opaque, heavy red to realize there’s real substance here. The color looks almost light... yet it catches the light beautifully. . 👃: And here, the Pinot begins its performance. Red fruits appear immediately cherry, raspberry, redcurrant along with a riper note reminiscent of black cherry. Then come earthier tones: a hint of forest floor, damp leaves, and the scent of earth after the rain. With aeration, the bouquet gains depth. A slightly spicy touch emerges, accompanied by an almost floral quality. It’s the kind of nose that makes you want to ...

A rosé that doesn’t take itself too seriously, yet takes the pleasure found in the glass very seriously. . Côtes de Provence Rosé, "Arpineh" cuvée from Bastide Le Soléou . Vintage: 2025 . 🍇: 80% Grenache, 20% Mourvèdre . 👀: First glance: a pale, luminous, delicate pink hue, with glints that almost evoke a Provençal sunset viewed through tinted glasses. It sparkles; it’s crisp and precise. The wine makes an impression all on its own. . 👃: On the nose, the Grenache quickly takes center stage. There are notes of small red fruits fresh strawberry and raspberry offering that lovely sensation of just-picked fruit. Then come floral notes and a touch of citrus that adds a bit of zest. Underlying it all, the Mourvèdre makes a discreet appearance, adding structure and a hint of depth that keeps the wine from becoming just another simple "terrace strawberry juice." It’s fresh, luscious, and aromatic. It smells like a vacation before you’ve even booked the hotel....

A fully mature Saint-Émilion, shaped by time, boasting that lovely tertiary complexity that turns a simple tasting into a brief journey back to the 90s. . Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Clos des Menuts (Red) . Vintage: 1993 . 🍇: Merlot: 85% 🍇: Cabernet Franc: 10% 🍇: Cabernet Sauvignon: 5% . 👀: In the glass, the red has clearly moved past the stage of youthful fruitiness. The color leans towards a mature garnet, with brick-red highlights at the rim. Intensity remains, though time has gently softened the bold hues of youth. . 👃: And this is where things get serious. The initial nose immediately evokes very ripe red fruit, plum, and candied cherry, followed by more evolved notes: forest floor, fallen leaves, blond tobacco, fine leather, and sweet spices. It has that slightly dusty, earthy quality I love in old Bordeaux. Not "I forgot to dust" dusty, but rather the scent of an old wooden library, a leather chest, and a rainy Sunday. The fruit has receded into the backgr...

This is a wine that is perfect to drink right now, yet it also feels like it has more stories to tell with a bit more bottle age. . Pessac-Léognan Blanc, Château de France cuvée . Vintage: 2024 . 🍇: 80% Sauvignon, 20% Sémillon . 👀: Pale yellow hue with luminous highlights; it has a brilliance that immediately makes you want to swirl the glass. Visually, it is clean, crisp, and precise. . 👃: First impression on the nose: citrus, lemon, and grapefruit, with a lovely sense of freshness. Then come more vegetal and herbaceous notes. The Sémillon steps in to mellow things out a bit, adding a rounder, softer, almost slightly honeyed quality. Underlying it all is a subtle hint of wet stone and chalk. The oak is present, but it doesn't scream "BARREL!" with every sniff. And frankly, thank goodness for that. . 👄: The attack is crisp and fresh. The Sauvignon arrives with its citrus notes, tension, and that touch of acidity that makes you want another sip before you...

A rich, fleshy, and approachable Bordeaux Malbec that has enough character to stand out without veering into "over-muscled" red wine territory. . Château Haut-Grelot Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux Red . Vintage: 2020 . 🍇: 100% Malbec . 👀: The color is a deep, dark red, possessing an intensity reminiscent of black cherries at the peak of ripeness.  One look at the glass and you realize this isn't a wine for the faint of heart. It is dense, glossy, and almost velvety. . 👃: Initial nose: black fruits. Blackberry, blackcurrant, blueberry, black cherry... The fruit is generous but avoids the "industrial jam" profile; there is a fresh quality underlying it. Then come spicier, slightly peppery notes, along with a subtle vegetal touch characteristic of Malbec in its Bordeaux guise. As the wine breathes, the fruit notes deepen and darken. . 👄: And then... BAM. The attack is bold and fruity, with a lovely sense of substance. The Malbec delivers juiciness, charact...