Synopsis, Our Opinion: A FANTASTIC value week-night Syrah/Grenache blend.
Producer/Winery: Jean-Claude Zabalia; Château des Deux Rocs; Cabrières, France.
Grape Variety: Blend – 50% Syrah, 30% Grenache and 20% Carignan.
Geographic Appellation: Languedoc Cabrières, France.
Vintage: 2013
Price: $14.40
Purchased From: The Caviste Wine Shop; Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Paired With: Swedish meatballs flavored with nutmeg, alspice and sour cream, pasta, broccoli and homemade European rustic bread.
Tasting:
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He said: Opened and decanted one and a half hours before drinking. Opaque, very dark garnet color with the same color rim. Marvelous earthy and dark fruit aromas. A smooth beginning that quickly goes to a blackberry, plum and cherry flavored taste and a licorice dominated finish with young tannins that linger through a continued after-taste. SUPER with the meatballs and gravy and EXCELLENT drinking without food after the meal. But here’s the punch line…it only cost $14.40. A FANTASTIC value week-night Syrah/Grenache blend.
She said: Opaque, dark garnet color, lots of evenly spaced then rapidly moving legs. Inexpensive good Syrah blends are difficult to come by, but this one hits the mark. The earthy aroma is accompanied by a mild scent of alcohol that disappears in the mouth as the red fruit flavors took over and complemented the meatballs and gravy. Absolutely yum, and I couldn’t stop myself from swooping up the gravy to go with the bread and wine. The mouth feel was dry with moderate tannins that lasted into the long finish. Truly a bargain Syrah blend at $14.40 and I would buy it again, especially for a Swedish meatball dinner.
Alcohol Content: 13%
Closure: Cork.
UPC Code: 7 61503 63629 4
Imported by: Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant; Berkeley, California.
Photo from Domaines de la Terre et du Temps.