Château Tour de Ségur, Lussac-Saint-Emilion, 2005 ~$20US, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon

Black cherries and cream on the nose. Cherries and red currant notes on the palate - not terribly complex but a solid structure with taught tannins, vibrant acidity on the backend and good clean fruit. With time, the nose and palate became more expressive, bringing a softness, but the tannins remained grippy and dusty yet sweet. A medium-bodied wine, offering some elegance at a fair price. A good partner with roasted white meats.

Famille Lignères ‘Le Cabanon de Pascal’ Corbières, 2003 ~$15US, Grenache

This bottle was shared with friends and emptied very quickly, so my notes are scarce. Broad-shouldered and spicy, with cherries, raspberry and garrigue notes. Peppery finish. I touch of clove and orange. Opulent and juicy but fresh and not over-the-top. A taste of Chateauneuf-du-Pape at 1/3 of the price, and more accessible in its youth. At this price, this is the kind of wine everyone should try (and I need to get more of!).

In my…commitment…to understand the scope and reach of Bordeaux’s varietals in their blended forms, I had a packed week/weekend featuring three of the five (Cab Franc, Sauv. and Merlot), blended with a few additional curveballs.  The lay of the land is quite interesting. I put the Nolados and the Cambra at the top, the Geol and Picque Caillou on the bottom.

I hope to try North and South American efforts plus an Italian to complete the circle.

Dominio Buenavista, Veleta ‘Nolados’ 2005

~$14US, 40%, Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Cabernet Franc and 20% Tempranillo, Vino de la Tierra Contraviesa Alpujarra, Granada, Spain

Deep ruby-purple. Heady aromas of plum, cassis, supported by red cherries and a subtle earthiness and minerality beyond. On day 1, the fruit was had big presence front and center, but it was not overpowered by the acidic lift and fine, but tight tannins. Deftly integrated oak - some spices and caramel, but again, balanced and harmonious. On day 3, the wine was generously evolved, smooth as silk with secondary and tertiary flavors and aromas…leather, tobacco, and a dusty, gravelly road. Tons of old world character lurking behind ripe-new-worldly fruits. And sweet tannins moving towards a clean finish.

I would have probably overlooked this wine, had it not been for a lucky tasting with the head of the estate, Dr. Juan Palomar and wife, locally last year. Their efforts are truly a great success -  This wine is a home run and an astounding value.

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Rafael Cambra ‘Dos’

~$20US, 50% Cabernet Savignon, 50% Cabernet Franc, Valencia, Spain

While his Monestrall-based ‘Uno’ was less impressive to me, the ‘Dos’ delivered the goods. Deep dark violet color. The shy nose that opening up over the course of 5-6 hours - showing cherries and red currant, with a floral overtone. A little wet straw, bay leaf, green pepper and orange-zest too. The palate was full and vibrant, with a great acidity and structure - which softened to become almost lush, aside from some alcoholic bite on the backend. There’s a zesty Priorat-like schiste flavor on the finish. Sturdy.

This is a very precise and focused wine, with a understated elegance and an exotic streak. Bordeaux meets Priorat. Only a smidge less ABV would’ve made this classic. Maybe the 2004 or 2006  are a little less hot - I hope to try.

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Thomas Cusine ‘GEOL’ 2005

~$21US, 65% Merlot, 27% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 8% Carinena, Costers del Segre, Spain

A Monsterous blast of fruit from popping the cork to pouring…This is a ripping, ripe, large-scaled wine, and not your father’s Merlot. Lots of stewed fruit, plums, blackberries, and cherries. Some disintegration with a sweet syrupy oakiness, which turn me off a little. Very concentrated. The tannins seem medium, but the alcohol definitely seems hotter that the 14.5% ABV on label. But beneath lies an energy gives the wine momentum and keep it from flabbing out. This is a full-throttle primary fruit monster right now…It may become more complex and settle down, but there is plenty to enjoy if you’re in the mood now.

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Château Picque Caillou 2005

~$20US, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, Pessac-Leognan, Bordeaux France

Beguiling aromas of Cherry cordials, tobacco, Spanish cedar, and sandalwood. Interesting and full of character - but a little thin through the palate. Clean minerality in the finish. Firm tannins and forward acidity probaby portent a good chance of fattening up in bottle over the next 3-5 years. Wait on this one - while the nose is cool - the palate is dissappointing right now.

~ $45US Cabernet Blend, St. Emilion, Bordeaux, France

I will put it right out there - I might not be a Bordeaux kind of guy, but I’m always willing to try new things, and this seemed interesting. This wine is opaque dense and inky, with a lively nose of currant, blackberries, tobacco, black tea, and damp soil. Truly a fascinating nose - an outgowing mix of fruit and earth. On the palate, very silky and smooth - too smooth that it was hollow and flabby. The middle seemed to have fallen out or closed up - it just disappeared. I felt myself really waiting for some firmer structure - via tannins or acid to support the promise of the nose. It ended with a nice long herbal finish with a touch of menthol.

This had a lot going for it, but unfortunately there was a strange void in the middle of the wine. I am inexperienced with this wine - it could be too young yet, or perhaps it started it’s life on the riper side and now the fruit is starting to wane. It just went soft, and to some that may be elegant or intriguing, but to me it was kinda boring.

~$15US   40% Malbec, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 20% Syrah, Mendoza, Argentina

This didn’t live up to the hype (Michel Rolland at the helm here, the controversial Bordeaux-magician), at least to my palate. Initially, a mix of black fruits backed by overt wood and rough-as-sandpaper tannins.  After hours of decanting and tasting, the fruit faded but the oak and tannins remained. There seemed to be good potential on the initial tastes, but after time, the wine became more disjointed, awkward, and stiff. Perhaps it will age more gracefully in bottle than it did in the decanter, but for me, this is a major pass.

~$17US Claret blend: 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 10% Petit Verdot, and 10% Malbec, Columbia Valley, Washington

Nose: Black currant, bell peppers, pine sap
Palate: No doubt the strong suite here: Well-integrated tannins, smooth and round on the palate. Bell pepper again.
Finish: Slightly artificial caramel and vanilla notes detract from the overall restraint and balance

Easy-drinking. Well-crafted, generous, and balanced. A terrific value, but not blowing my mind with any 1 aspect or an overall impression…

~ $18US Paso Robles 50% Cabernet Sauvignon / 45% Merlot / 5% Petit Verdot

This Bordeaux-via-Cali blend poured a bricky-red colour and presented a strong strawberries and cream nose. Tasted very red-fruity and juicy, then a huge burst of super-woody oak. The wood gave some vanilla and creaminess, and there was little structure and balance. The flavors felt very disjointed and awkward - almost like they combined 2 entirely different wines to make it (a fruit monster and oak monster). Definitely a learning experience, and not my favorite in style.

Like eating a strawberry shortcake in the lumber aisle of Home Depot.