Joseph Mellot Chinon les Morinieres, 2004

When I last had Chinon les Morinieres (January 7, 2008), it was gushing with flamboyant fruit. With a few months' aging, these red fruit aromas and flavors have mellowed out and developed secondary characteristics more typical of Loire Cabernet Franc--dusty earth, briar and herbs. But there's still plent of lush fruit--dark cherries and red raspberries. It has the freshness to go with seafood, pork or chicken plus the fruit depth and complexity to stand up to beef or lamb.

It's still fairly widely available and a good value for $12 to $14.