2009 Jean-Marie Arnoux VACQUEYRAS (Rhone Valley, France)

More on the austere than generous side (which is surprising for the vintage), it's a rustic but serviceable Rhone.  It wouldn't faze me if this were an $8 Cotes du Rhone (though even at that price I wouldn't buy it again), but at $20, it's way overpriced.

Dark black ruby.  Fairly intense but rather severe nose of iodine, scorched earth, and blackberry skins.  Dark, low-toned, bitter-tinged flavors of scorched earth and blackberry skin.  Lots of gritty tannin too, though the finish is clingy and long.  Seems to lack energy.  Drink up, because this isn't going to get any better.  C.  Was $19.99 at Total Wine in McLean.  Imported by Wm. Deutsch  & Sons, White Plains, NY.