2009 Maison Bouachon Cotes Du Rhone Les Rabassieres

The Skalli family has deep roots in French viticulture and have been involved with grape growing in various regions throughout France. What's really neat is that in 1982 they established the very well known winery in the Napa Valley called St. Supery. Although for much of their history in France the Skalli Family was mostly making wines in the Languedoc and on the island of Corsica, in the early 2000's they decided to purchase a century old wine company (Maison Bouachon) in Chateaunuef-du-Pape, in the Rhone Valley.

The 2006 Cotes du Rhone Les Rabassiéres is composed of 60% Grenache, 30% Syrah, and 10% Mourvédre. (The Grenache in the blend comes from 70 year old vines) The wine was aged in French oak barrels for 9 to 12 months.

On the nose I get aromas of black raspberry, pepper, scorched earth, crushed rock, and a touch of black cherry. It's a typical bouquet from this particular region that shows it's deep fruit aromas and a somewhat rustic and earthy side as well.

On the palate the wine displays tart flavors of black plum, cedar-spice, black cherry, leather, and earth. The wine also has just the slightest hint of game that adds a special touch of needed complexity. It's a very nice wine that is quite simple in nature, but pairs fantastically with all sorts of Mediterranean cuisines. The body of this wine is very sleek and trim, and the wine relies heavily on it's razor sharp acidity to form the backbone of it's structure. 89 points

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