2004 Chateau de Cazeneuve 'Les Calcaires'

I love reds of Pic St-Loup (1,2,3), and always have a few in my cellar. While not officially its own Appellation d’origine contrôlée (Pic St-Loup is part of the Coteaux du Languedoc AOC), it has been seeking AOC status, with the winemakers putting Pic St-Loup in a prominent location on the label in the interim. From my experience, it would appear that this is a unique terroir deserving of its own AOC, but I will leave that decision to the government authorities.

The 2004 Chateau de Cazeneuve 'Les Calcaires' is syrah-dominated red (60%), with some mourvèdre (30%) and carignan (10%) added to the blend. Bright cherry red in the glass, this was a very aromatic wine - meaty pepper and creme caramel were followed by roses, fresh strawberries, leather and smoke. Crisp acidity and firm tannins, this full-bodied red was juicy, elegant and well-balanced. Could improve in the cellar, but why wait? A great match for wild boar steaks off the grill. Great value!

13.5% alcohol

Score: 17/20

Price: C$20 (SAQ)