2004 Chateau la Coustarelle CAHORS "Grand Cuvee Prestige" (Southwest France)

Having been burned many times in the 1980s (plus not being a Malbec fan), I always approach Cahors with trepidation, but the quality there has gotten much better of late, and this was a very good wine.

This was a blend of 90% old vine Malbec ans 10% Tannat (which, like its name sounds, tends to be very tannic).

Nearly saturated very dark ruby. Low-toned, intense nose of lemon-soaked dark cherry extract, fragrant peat smoke, and scorched gravel. Bone dry, concentrated flavors of metallic minerals and dry black cherry, along with a brambly, dried underbrush component. Loads of cottony tannins coat the mouth. In other words, this was a seemingly textbook Cahors, showing rusticity and elegance simultaneously. B+ Was $17.99 at Houston Wine Merchant. Imported by Charles Neal Selections. Drink over the next two years.

(Sorry, 2002 shown).

2008 Mas Lavail "Terre d'Ardoise" CARIGNANE "Vieilles Vignes" (VDP Cotes Catalanes, SW France)

A good, solid Carignane. Carignane, however, is a grape that never can achieve greatness. It's almost always going to have straightforward flavors, maybe a bit of coarseness, and usually a short finish. This one had those qualities, but minimized them, and was a good wine.

Dark black ruby color. Old-fashioned, earthy nose with lots of dark cherry and scorced earth mineral scents. Chunky, minerally cherry fruit on entry, but fades quickly in the mid-palate, only to linger, in reduced volume, in the finish. Rustic and inelegant, it's a solid old-style country red. Paired nicely with a baked ziti dish featuring a ground pork and tomato sauce. B-. Was $11.99 at Spec's on Weslayan. Imported by Robert Kacher.

(Sorry, 2007 depicted).

2007 Chateau Saint Roch "Chimeres" Cotes du Roussillon Villages (Southwest France)

This was a superb wine. Great depth, complexity, and balance. I was not expecting such quality from the Roussillon area, which is known for its earthy, chunky wines. It's a blend of 40% Grenache, 30% Carignane, 20% Syrah, and 10% Mourvedre -- mostly very old vines.

Black ruby with violet highlights. Unique and very fragrant nose, featuring perfume (yes, like women's perfume), grilled steak, rock dust, and trippy black raspberry. Round, deeply-concentrated, and mouthfilling. Smoky, stony notes lead to dark, low-toned, sappy, ripe berry fruit and charcoal. Lots of micro-chalky tannin in the long finish. Excellent and extraordinarily distinctive wine. A. Imported by Eric Solomon, I got the wine for $16 from B-21 Wines in Florida, making it a great value.

2008 Domaine Sarrabelle GAILLAC "Croix Blanche" (Southwest France)

This is the best value I've had in many months! And from an area of France I know little about, and from two varietals (80% Duras, 20% Braucol) that I know nothing about. (Braucol is also known elsewhere as Fer Servadou.)
I love making discoveries like this!

Dark black ruby with bright magenta highlights. Poured through a Vinturi, it displayed a gorgeous nose of high-toned, spiced berries with dense plumes of wispy rock microdust. Lively and fairly concentrated, with crisp yet ripe berry fruit in the mouth, along with the cleanest, most refreshing and pure-tasting stony finish. This was fantastic with roast chicken, and would also pair nicely with grilled red or white meats. Bone dry, and with still some unresolved tannin, this wine is wonderful now and should last nicely another year or two. A. Imported by Jon-David Headrick Selections, this wine was only $9.99 at Whole Foods on Bellaire. Get some!

2008 Domaine La Bastide "les Genets" SYRAH "Vieilles Vignes" (VDP, Languedoc,Southern France)

This Syrah -- from a dry, hot region in the south of France, and unoaked, I think -- is an excellent value. I would put this up against Crozes-Hermitages and oaky U.S. Syrahs costing 2-3 times as much.

Gorgeously dark ruby with violet highlights. Deeply fruity nose of rich cassis and blackberry along with smoky, gravelly scents. Concentrated and tight, with good weight in the mouth yet with a relatively soft texture. Tightly-wound core of deep-toned dark berry fruit with a long, mineral/schist-infused finish. Soft enough to enjoy now, yet its balance, concentration, and loads of soft tannin will insure that it will keep for a couple of years. 88. Only $11 at Spec's on Smith. Imported by Weygandt-Metzler.

2008 "THREE TREES" (100% Syrah) (VDP de Cotes Catalanes, southwest France)

This is a very good wine for the money. Tastes like a much more expensive Cornas.

Dark black ruby with violet highlights. Closed at first, with significant air time (and pouring through a Vinturi), it develops a big, dark, meaty, smoky blackcherry extract nose. The glory here, however, is in the mouth. These grapes must have been picked the perfect time. Loads of perfectly ripe, plummy, blackberry fruit, together with loads of smoky, sandstoney earth, Fantastic acidity. Lots of chewy, ripe tannins. Excellent! 90. Was $16.99 at Houston Wine Merchant on South Shepherd. Imported by Louis/Dressner Selections.

2006 Le Roc FRONTON "Classique" (60% Negrette, 30% Syrah, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon) (Southwest France)

Wow! What a discovery (well, it was a discovery for me, anyway). Fronton is an appellation, and Negrette is a varietal, that I have no experience with, but this was an excellent and unique wine at a very good price.

Amazingly sharp color of jewel-like black ruby with subtle violet highlights. Remarkable nose of powdered stones, and candied black cherries and raspberries. Round in the mouth, with medium weight but waves of ripe, up-front, intensely minerally black cherry/blackberry fruit. Lengthy, pure finish with a subtle but pleasant resiny quality. Lots of incredibly fine-grained, soft tannin. 89. Was $11.99 at Central Market. Imported by Charles Neal Selections.

2007 Domaine Cabirau GRENACHE "Serge & Tony" (VDP Cotes de Catalanes, SW France)

I liked this a lot. Lots of ripe grenache fruit, but with some earthy complexity and a soft texture.

Deep, luminescent black ruby. Rich and deep-toned nose of spiced raspberry syrup, baking spices, and crushed stones. Round, rich, full, and lively, with concentrated black raspberry and mineral flavors. Lots of soft tannin in the long finish. This will keep and soften for 1-2 years in a cool cellar or storage place. 90. $15 at Spec's on Westheimer. Importer by Dan Kravitz Hand-Picked Selections.

2006 Chateau de Lancyre PIC ST. LOUP Rosé (Southern France)

This was a strangely-colored but beautifully fruity rosé.

Eye: Very interesting orangey-copper color.

Nose: Despite the advanced looking color, the nose is redolent of fresh fruit (valencia oranges and cherries) with powdered stones and sweet cream in the background.

Mouth: Soft, round, and fruity, with excellent balance and absolutely pure flavors of sweet grapes, watermelon, and strawberry. Long, fruity finish. Fruit! Fruit! Fruit!

Score: 88.

Cellar or drink? Drink before Thanksgiving.

Price/store: $12.88 at most Spec's stores.


Sorry -- I could find a picture only of the 2004.

2006 "Ninet" Rosé (Grenache/Syrah) (Southwest France)

As in almost every vintage, this consistent, flavorful rosé was an excellent value.

Eye: Disconcerting color -- not pink or salmon like most rosés, but a diluted but almost fluorescent ruby/garnet color. Not to worry, though. It gets better.

Nose: Beautifully fruity noise, with ripe, crisp scents of strawberries, grapes, and watermelon. Maybe even a hint of banana. Just a hint of faintly bitterish minerals in the background to balance out all that fruit.

Mouth: Good concentration, length, and balance, especially for a wine at this bargain price point. Not complex, but lots of dry, refreshing fruit.

Score: 87.

Cellar or drink? As with all rosés, drink now now now.

Price/store: $8 at Spec's on Westheimer.

2006 Chateau du Donjon MINERVOIS "Grande Tradition" (Southwest France)

This was a nicely balanced red that would serve as a welcome accompaniment to a wide range of meat or fowl dishes. A quintessential "food wine" (which I mean in a good way). It's a blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Carignane.


Eye: Bright, deep ruby with violet highlights at the rim.


Nose: Nice nose of sweet plummy/blackberry fruit, with slightly earthy, walnut oil-y scents.


Mouth: Soft, round, nicely-balanced, with flavors of dry blackberry extract, a walnut oil/brambly component, and minerals. Medium long, clean finish.


Score: 87.

Cellar or drink? Drink over the next 18 months.

Price/store: Was $11 at Spec's on Holcombe.

2005 Chateau de Lancyre PIC SAINT-LOUP "La Coste d"Aleyrac" (Coteaux du Languedoc, Soutjwest France)

This Grenache-Syrah blend really needs lots of air (decant it a few hours), but then is very nice.

Eye: Nearly saturated black ruby with purplish-mulberry highlights.

Nose: Exceedingly earthy-meaty at first, with increasing air time these characteristics were replaced by lush black raspberry scents, with undertones of walnut oil and earth.

Mouth: Ripe and concentrated, with very nice earthy-saline and blackberry flavors, leading to a long, slightly tannic finish, though the tannins are soft. Excellent balance, and medium-full body.

Cellar or drink?: Drinking well now (with air), this wine should improve over the next 2-3 years.

Score: 88.

Price/store: Was $13.50 at Spec’s on Smith.

2005 Domaine Massamier La Mignarde "Cuvée des Oliviers" (Southwest France)

This wine, from the Coteaux des Peyriac region in southwest France near Minervois, was cheap but just so-so.

A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignane, Cinsault, and Grenache, this wine has a dark ruby color, but only a medium-intensity nose of very bland berry fruit and stones. Medium-bodied and balanced, but with almost non-descript flavors of generic berries and minerals. Not bad swigging at a party (it was only $7 a bottle), but little else. Got it at Spec's on Richmond. 79.

2005 CUVÉE DE PEÑA (VDP, Southwest France)

This cheap red -- which I am guessing has a lot of Grenache in it -- is a GREAT buy.


Medium dark crystal ruby color. Lively, fruity nose: cleam plummy and boysenberry fruit, sweet cream, smoky, stony minerals. Fresh, lively, and fruity in the mouth, with bright cherry/berry fruit, and a crisp, balanced finish. A terrific everyday dinner wine with character, balance, and freshness. 87. A great buy at $6 at Spec's on Westheimer.

2003 Chateau de Pena Cotes du Roussillon Villages (SW France)

Dull blackish ruby color. Plum preserves, some spice, and earth on the nose. Simple, medium-bodied flavors of plummy blackberries and dry leather. A bit astringent and flat on the finish. Not bad, but it is interesting that the cheapest wine of this co-op (Cuvee de Pena, a VDP blend, the 2003 of which I reviewed back in August 2005) is almost always, in my view, better than this wine, its slightly more expensive AOC sibling. About $8 at Spec's. 80.