2003 "Cuvée de Peña" VDP Pyrenées Orientales (France)

86. A perfect wine for weeknight dinners and big parties! Cheap and very good. Focused nose of ripe cassis and blueberries, with hints of hot stones and pine forest. Nicely-balanced, tight, concentrated fruit in the mouth, with hints of baking chocolate and some light, well integrated tannin for structure (and a year or two of nice ageing). Medium body, and a clean, fruity finish. This is the kind of wine that it's hard to get tired of. About $6 at Spec's on Smith and the Spec's on Westheimer. Imported by Hand Picked Selections (Dan Kravitz's company, a really good importer).