Rouge Garance Cotes du Rhone Villages, 2011

This is not quite like any Cotes du Rhone or CDR Villages I have had, and I'm still trying to decide whether I like it.

Medium deep ruby, clear and bright but not too dark. Intense smells of red cherry, white pepper and spice, very tightly wound. I don't detect any of the scents I associate with either Grenache or Syrah. Some Mourvedre, yes. I learn that the cepage is actually 70% Syrah, 20% Grenache, 10% Mourvedre. And that may explain some of the tightness, but I still don't get much of the black fruit, cassis presence I expect from Southern Rhone Syrah. Also very tight on the palate. I like the intensity of red cherry, violet flavors. But not as much generosity as I expect from the Southern Rhone. Maybe it just needs some aging.