Atypical Zin, from 50-year-old vines; drier than most, and not jammy or booze-heavy. Well balanced, with notes of dark cherry and black pepper. Endless food-pairing possibilities.
Feeling globalist pressure against local varietals, winemakers in Fronton have tried to eradicate Negrette. The folks at Le Roc are fighting the good fight with this well-priced bottle Eric Asimov calls "...ripe, succulent, exotically fruity, delicious, easy drinking."
Perfumed and complex on the nose, with outstanding aromas of ripe red and black fruits over subtle notes of crème de cassis, tobacco, and leather. Pepper, cinnamon, and dark chocolate notes. In palate is smooth but structured, with silky tannins. A blend consisting mostly of Cab Sauv, with a little Cab Franc, Petit Verdot, and Merlot to round things out.
Whole cluster fermented Syrah with almost two years in barrel before bottling. One of the absolute top expressions of Rhône Syrah in the world from a traditionalist family producer based in Côte-Rôtie.
Pais grown on granite soils in the far south of Chile's Itata region. 150 year old vines that will give you a sense of Chilean winemaking from before Cabernet and Carmenere took over.
