Dr. Tom's tasting journal

Comments: A vibrant deep red color and a full, fruit and mineral delight. Loads of dark fruit, mineral, chocolate and a little graphite with some structured tannins. Long finish and clean. Yes I know it is WAY too early to open this up, but my wife really wanted to try it. This ought to be superb as it ages, because it got progressively better as the evening wore on (not that it lasted too terribly long though – far too good to wait). Mainly Merlot (65%) with Cabernet Franc (25%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (10%). I have said I don’t like Bordeaux wines, again I prove myself wrong, I just didn’t have one I liked.

• Overall :
  noteworthy
• Eye :
  deep blood red
• Nose :
  fruit mineral graphite
• Mouth :
  cassis blackberry earth
• Delicious with :
  beef

• Bottle size : standard 750ml
• Tasting date : 2008-07-23

Comments: Fresh and lively, with a celery seed edge to the citrus flavors. Loads of grapefruit and green apple, clean finish and remains of a slight sweetness. Tasty with some halibut and rice.

• Overall :
  clean
• Eye :
  clear amber
• Nose :
  citrus celery
• Mouth :
  grapefruit green apple
• Delicious with :
  fish

• Bottle size : standard 750ml
• Tasting date : 2008-07-23

Comments: Boy, Perrin just has it going on. Their Vacqueyras (Les Christins) in the past few years has been great and now this. Very dark and very fruit forward. Nice bold taste with a mineral cleanliness. Goes very well with fowl but could stand up to most meats as well. Long finish, smooth tannins.

• Overall :
  delicious
• Eye :
  blood red
• Nose :
  dark fruit earth mineral
• Mouth :
  black currant
• Delicious with :
  fowl

• Bottle size : standard 750ml
• Tasting date : 2008-07-22

Comments: I had saved this up for a while, waiting for something special. I think I may have waited too long because, though the wine was not bad, it was a little harsh tasting. Nothing that you could say, “Oh it’s corked”, or anything like that, but just not that smooth finish I expected. Lots of vanilla and spice on the nose that continued on the tongue, but the finish was off.

• Overall :
  disappointing
• Eye :
  inky red
• Nose :
  vanilla spice blackberry
• Mouth :
  rough tannins
• Delicious with :

• Bottle size : standard 750ml
• Tasting date : 2008-07-22

Comments: Deep red wine that was acceptable, but not great. There was little nose, a muted fruit, with a similar taste. What was there was not bad, and the minerals were most predominant, but it never came alive. I love the CDR wines, and this one was quite middle of the road. I didn’t hate it, but I will probably not seek it out.

• Overall :
  mediocre
• Eye :
  dusty red
• Nose :
  muted fruit
• Mouth :
  muted fruit
• Delicious with :

• Bottle size : standard 750ml
• Tasting date : 2008-07-22

Comments: Very dark red and full of big fruit. Red fruit, dark berries and minerals on the nose. Paired well with pork chops and the spice of the wine helped the flavor of the chop. Fairly long finish, clean and concise.

• Overall :
  fruit bomb
• Eye :
  dark red
• Nose :
  fruit mineral
• Mouth :
  red fruit dark berries
• Delicious with :
  pork chop

• Bottle size : standard 750ml
• Tasting date : 2008-07-22

Comments: Very nice with spaghetti, this deep red spicy wine had a clean finish with enough tannin and acidity to cleanse. The taste goes on for a decent finish, and the alcohol is low enough (13%) that it does not overwhelm. I like the hint of sweetness that the ripasso process adds to the wine.

• Overall :
  spaghetti wine
• Eye :
  deep red
• Nose :
  fruit spice
• Mouth :
  clean mild tannin
• Delicious with :
  spaghetti

• Bottle size : standard 750ml
• Tasting date : 2008-07-19

Comments: Surprisingly tasty and complex for this price point. There were strawberries and some other mild red fruit, and a mineral back bone. This will never convince you it is a great Pinot Noir, but it goes well with food and at $8 doesn’t have to be a great Pinot Noir. Better not buy a bunch of them though, it is one that comes in that terrible heavy bottle style – feels full even when it is empty.

• Overall :
  bargain
• Eye :
  ruby red
• Nose :
  fruit mineral
• Mouth :
  berries mineral low tannins
• Delicious with :

• Bottle size : standard 750ml
• Tasting date : 2008-07-19

Comments: Tasty with just the slightest hint of sweet among the dry. Distinct hits of melon and perhaps peach, but a mineral base that kept it very clean. Good with some chicken and alone on the back porch when it’s hot.

• Overall :
  summer delight
• Eye :
  pale gold
• Nose :
  melon peaches
• Mouth :
  white fruit minerals off dry
• Delicious with :
  chicken salad

• Bottle size : standard 750ml
• Tasting date : 2008-07-19

Comments: Pleasant summer cooler. Tangy red fruit – cherries, berries with a citrus note. Perfect for a pause during yard work, or with a ham and cheese panini and some chips. To my taste, these wines are equal to the Tavel crowd, perhaps better given that they are more affordable

• Overall :
  refreshing
• Eye :
  dark pink
• Nose :
  cherries berries citrus
• Mouth :
  crisp light fruit
• Delicious with :
  sandwich

• Bottle size : standard 750ml
• Tasting date : 2008-07-19