Domaine du Gros' Noré Bandol Rouge 2004
Bandol, Provence, France. Mourvedre (80%). 15% alcohol. Cork. Approx $A50.
Bold and warming, it's not hard to imagine where such a wine could come from. Bandol faces the Mediterranean and the south and is baked by sun (over 3000 hours per year).
Captivating and in rude health, this is a delightful and disarming wine. It smells of raisin, cassis, smallgoods (liver sausage) and aniseed. As others have pointed out, this is hedonistic, full and direct. Lovely and plush, inviting and rich, but in time there is structure, firmness and muscle.
Excellent.
93.
Now - 2014+
Post script: I sometimes wonder if my tasting notes provide enough context. Periodically, I'll include links to some wines that I think are similar - either in genetics (sibling) or taste profile (cousins).
Sibling - Ch Pibarnon. Cousins - Seghesio Sonoma Zin, Cape Mentelle Zin.
technorati tags: wine
7 comments:
I think you're notes provide plenty of context, but the siblings idea is a good one. I often refer to other wines from the same region etc as a reference point.
Interesting, I suspect for many readers context=grape, so I always try to highlight the grapes in my French wines so readers can mentally picture that. Beyond that I am not sure what additional context the average reader needs. Zin, eh? hmmm
Dave and Joe,
I guess I've been buying too many books on Amazon. I always looks at what they recommend, even though I might not act on the recommendation.
I thought with my tasting notes I could provide some idea about whether you would like the wine by pointing to what I felt were similar wines in taste and profile, even if they were made from different grapes.
If you like zin, I would think this would be one to try. . .
Valid points - never drew the Amazon connection. Never draw a line between Zin and Mourvedre either - now I want to buy this and one of your recommended cousins!
Excellent note on a fantastic wine Ed, but don't worry too much about context as writing short, but to the point, is just your style. Pointing to other wines that gave you the same impression, funny idea but not neccessary to say what you want to.
Mo,
Point taken, guess I was just thinking out a loud.
my brother in law just gave me a bottle of this, I knew I had seen the label before...c$36 here, by the way...
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