Domaine du Boisson Cotes du Rhone Villages Cairanne

I've read good reports of this wine and, being a big fan of Cairanne, was anxious to try it. The color is deep, dark and bluish, indicating to me that some of the wine has been aged in new oak or small barriques. The smells and flavors confirm that impression. The sweetish blueberry fruit, a Cairanne trademark, is front and center, as it should be; it's a very attractive wine. On the first night, the oak elements blend nicely with the berry fruit but seem to cover up the spicy, peppery, earthy elements that I expect from a Cairanne. Tasted blind, the wine might well be mistaken for a good Australian GSM (Grenache/Syrah/Mourvedre) such as Langmeil. On the second and third nights, however, the new oak traits begin to fade and integrate into the lovely Cairanne fruit. Sweet cherries and garrigue emerge to add to the complexity. It's still not my style of Cairanne, although I think it may be more to my liking with a couple of years in the bottle.

For a good comparison, I opened a bottle of a more traditionally styled Cairanne so that I could taste the two side-by-side. See the tasting note above for my impressions.