Thursday, October 27, 2011

Domaine du Vieux Chene Vin de Pays Vaucluse Cuvee de la Dame Vieille, 2010

This is a sibling of the Vieux Chene Grenache reported on below. This cuvee is 50% Grenache and 50% Syrah from vines on sandy soil immediately surrounding the winery--some of which, I understand, are about 80 years old. It's 100% organic and sells for $9.99 right now at Sawall's Health Food store in Kalamazoo, MI.

The color is much deeper and darker than the Grenache cuvee with the bluish tints that are to be expected from the relatively high percentage of Syrah. It's also a year younger than the Grenache bottling, and, on the first night, it's a bit rough around the edges. With vigorous swirling, some pretty floral/berry/spice notes emerge. Very full and somewhat tannic on the mid-palate. Plummy Syrah flavors with herbal, spicy notes emerging on the finish. For my taste, this wine is still a bit young; even a few months will bring out some of the peppery qualities I like in a Southern Rhone Syrah/Grenache. I doubt, though, that it will ever match its Grenache sibling in complexity.

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