Region:  Haut-Médoc, Bordeaux, France

Blend:  I don’t exactly know, but its left-bank Bordeaux status makes it mainly Cabernet Sauvignon.

Price: $15.99 at Total Wine

Sight: very dark cranberry hue

Smell:  dark fruit, earthy, mineral

Taste:  mouthwatering blackberry, currant, dense, mineral, gorgeous finish

Overall:  The flavor of this wine is so much bigger than its aroma.  The bouquet is like a good movie trailer—it gives you a good idea of what the main attraction is going to entail, but it saves the best moments of intensity for the eventual experience itself.  From the nose of this wine, I had a pretty good idea I was in for some dark fruit flavors, but when I tasted it… that is a lot of fruit.  It’s got enough acidity to make your mouth water, and on contact your palate is instantly coated with these viscous, indulgent berries.  Some serious, loamy earthiness frames the piece, as well as something like cut rock, balancing out the fruit with deep, mineral tones.  The tannins have what I like to call a nice, firm handshake—not limp, but also not trying to crush you.  The lightly spiced finish extends languidly, like it’s got nothing better to do than to wait around for you to take the next sip.  This wine is one of the most accessible Bordeaux wines I’ve ever tasted.  If you like your California reds but you’ve been kind of afraid of France, start here.  This wine is ready now through the next five years, and will treat you well.

Additional Note:  The bottle I have is signed by the winemaker, Vincent Fabre, who traveled all the way from Bordeaux to visit us at Total Wine in Charlotte.  He was such a nice guy, and he even helped us wash dishes from a tasting he did for a class of about 50 people.  A good bit of his delicious portfolio is available at any Total Wine location.  Check it out!