Thank you to Mel from Hamilton Ontario for suggesting this vino. He received the bottle as a gift, went searching for reviews, and though I’d not tried it as of yet, he was impressed enough with this vinoblog to submit the recommendation via yougottatrythis@thevinoboy.com .
This is a rather beginner-level Bordeaux. It originates from a portion of the region that focuses on more of a mass production scale rather than smaller more carefully tended batches. In this humble vinoboy’s opinion, a mass produced Bordeaux lacks quite a bit of the refinement and complexity to that of its peers. We all know the main components of a Bordeaux-blend, this one is primarily Merlot, Cabs Franc and Sauv in equal amounts make up the balance. With that in mind, I popped the cork…
*gasp Though the nose is certainly alcohol forward – scents of cherry, earth and a mild peppery note come through nicely. The earthy essence stimulates a medium mouth feel with a sensation of violets, mild cedar and the faintest hint of toasty nuts. A moderately grating finish of curious cocoa and tannin.
A barely-recommended value at ~$15/btl, buy two bottles, drink one now and cellar the other for 3-5 years. This should take some of the grating edge off.
Cheers!
~tvb
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