Recommendation: A very good wine at an unbelievable price.
Winery/Producer: Domaine Alary; Cairanne, France.
Grape Variety: Blend: Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, Cinsault, Counoise, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot.
Geographic Region, Appellation: Principaute d’Orange; Rhone Valley, France.
Vintage: 2011
Price: $10.80 with a 10% mixed case discount.
Purchased From: The Caviste Wine Shop; Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Paired With: African bobotee with yellow rice (including tumeric and raisins) and green beans (from the garden).
Tasting:
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He said: Opened one hour before drinking. Clear, but inky (and even that doesn’t describe how dark it was) dark brownish purple color with a lighter rim. Heavy musty dark fruit and spice aromas. When I removed the cork from the bottle I could instantly smell the aromas and the bottle was two feet away…pretty powerful bouquet!!! Quite intense smooth taste that starts with a dusty chalkiness and about mid-palate becomes fruity and ends with chocolate tannins and just a slight touch of bitterness. This was an unusual South African dinner and I picked an unknown wine that only cost &10.80…and it turned out both were good and together it made for a MEMORABLE combination. This was a wine you can chew on and I give it two thumbs up and say it’s a very good wine at an unbelievable price.
She said: Opaque, very dark red with thin regularly spaced rapidly moving legs. Musty fruit aroma lead to a huge similar flavor with lots of body that was smooth and dry. The wine was delicious with the sweetness of the bobotee and raisins in the yellow rice. The flavors and firm tenants continued into the long finish. A great bargain wine at $10.80
Alcohol: 13.5%
UPC Code: NA
Imported by: Peter Weygandt Selection; Unionville, Pennsylvania.
Photo from Domaine Alary .