Friday, January 18, 2013

2009 Domaine Chante Cigale COTES DU RHONE "Vieilles Vignes" (Rhone Valley, France)

A deep, soft, sultry Cotes du Rhone from a producer much better-known for its excellent and reasonably priced Chateauneuf.  It's 70% Grenache, 20% Carignane, and 10% Syrah.  For those who like their Cotes du Rhone to show lots of vibrant, earthy raspberry and/or blackberry fruit, this is not your wine.  It's on the lower-toned, chocolately end of the scale.  But expectations aside, it's quite good.

Saturated black-black ruby color.  Somewhat aloof, low-toned nose of dark chocolate, blackberry skins, loamy sandstone, and slow-roasted herbs and meat.  Weighty and soft in the mouth, it's very full-bodied, low in acidity, and shows loads of chocolatey, minerally flavors.  Lengthy finish.  Not my cup of tea, so for me it's a B-, but those who like this style will undoubtedly rate it higher.  Was $19.99 at Total Wine in Fairfax.  Imported by Saranty Imports, White Plains, NY.

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