Grenache #3 - Vins Xavier, “La vue du chai”, Gigondas, 2010 (France)

Part B - Red wines

Section 4 - Grenache

September 27th, 2015

Vins Xavier, “La vue du chai” - AOC Gigondas, Rhone Valley, France, 2010

• $32.00
• Color: Ruby Red/Purple
• Served with a selection of cheeses, a fig & bleu cheese salad, and a meat & pumpkin chili. Dessert was apple pie pops! We also had some Pares Balta cava as aperitif - great choice!
• Sweetness: Dry, Body: Medium, Mouth: Generous, Wood: Weak, Acidity: Present

He says :           4.25 stars

• Very interesting aromas: chocolate, cedar, forest, burned wood, thyme & spices
• Very smooth & well balanced start, which evolves into a persistent & explosive finish, with a little coarseness & dryness.
• Supple tannins – it benefited from 5 years of aging
• Notes of raspberries, chocolate, pepper, spices & red fruit
• Very complex – lots of intertwined flavors
• Too little kick for the dryness, but overall well balanced, tasty & interesting

She says :           4.00 stars

• Very pleasant smell: aromas of chocolate, port, tobacco, humid wood & smoke
• Nice balance & smooth texture
• Notes of spice, coffee, tobacco, chocolate & raspberries
• Very coarse & persistent finale
• Complex & interesting wine

Grenache #2 - D’Arenberg Vineyards, “The Custodian”, 2009 (Australia)

Part B - Red wines

Section 4 - Grenache

September 14th, 2015

D’Arenberg Vineyards, “The Custodian” – McLaren Vale, Australia, 2009

• $22.30
• Color: Orange/Amber Color
• Served with Garden Salad (With Chicken, Herbes Feta, Corn & Vegetables)
• Sweetness: Dry, Body: Heavy, Mouth: Intense, Wood: Balanced, Acidity: Strong

He says :           3.75 stars

• Smells jammy & woody
• Extremely intense wine, with strong tannins, acidity, dryness & coarseness
• Syrupy, sweet start, with a spicy taste reminiscent of vermouth, then it evolves into a very dry and long finale
• Notes of wood, smoke, strawberry jam & cherries
• Bit dry for my taste, but it’s a quality & complex wine

She says :           4.00 stars

• Very intense aromas, with spicy & woody notes
• Mouth is heavy on acidity & alcohol
• A little spicy taste, with notes of red fruit, forest, caramel & vermouth
• Too dry & acidic for my taste
• Very dry & coarse finale
• Better when opened & let to aerate