2005 Domaine La Chapiniere Touraine Garnon

RJonWine.com

• By Richard Jennings
  12/21/2012, (See more on RJonWine.com...) 87 points

  (Domaine La Chapiniere Touraine Garnon) Bricking dark cherry red color; brett, tart cranberry, very tart cherry, oregano nose; mature, tart cranberry, brett, dried herbs, rosehips palate with firm, drying tannins yet; medium-plus finish 87+ points

• By Richard Jennings
  6/8/2009, (See more on RJonWine.com...) 88 points

  (Domaine La Chapiniere Touraine Garnon) Dark red violet color; focused, peppery, tart black fruit, graphite and herb nose; tart herbal, black fruit, blackberry, graphite, mineral and baby ferns palate; short-medium finish 88+ pts.

Garagiste

• By Jon Rimmerman
  4/9/2008, (See more on Garagiste...)

  (COT La Chapiniere) Cot Dear Friends, Here’s another highlight from my time in France and the only reason we are getting the 2005 (instead of the newly released 2006) is from being on the ground running. Sometimes it pays to ask if there is any 2005 left instead... If you are looking for a bargain red example of the highest order and can stomach this price as a mid-week splurge, this wine should provide surprises for many years to come. This is for those of you searching for the last of the toothy and substantive 2005 Loire reds or even 2005 Bordeaux. La Chapiniere (the Touraine producer we profiled on Monday) produces this Cot (Malbec) made from the vine selection of Hugues Garnon, considered the best in the Loire. This is La Chapiniere’s most famous wine and it is as serious as Malbec gets in this price range. To put this wine in vinous perspective, it is not an oaked-up, Argentinean Malbec masquerading as a cross between Shiraz and California Cab - this is real unoaked varietal Malbec with a tooth-staining, cold steel-on-ice meets Tain l’Hermitage personality produced from near-perfect grapes in one of the best vintages for red wine this region has seen in the last decade (or two) - think 2005 Bordeaux/2005 Burgundy. This wine is tannic, spice laden, deep-toned and bursting with red fruit and woven black pepper that is like the Loire version of a jr unoaked Sorrel Le Greal made with Malbec instead of Syrah. While built to last, it is extremely seductive in its present state as the tannins are pure and ripe. This wine should age for a decade or more (at least) which makes its price even more attractive. From Florence Veilex: “the Cot Garnon is the red wine of our utmost pride. The Cot (also called Malbec) of La Chapiniere is the authentic grape vine of Touraine and in particular of the Valley of the Cher River. The Cot is the result of a brilliant selection process carried out by Hugues Garnon, a distinguished vine grower of the beautiful castle that overlooks our region - Chateauvieux. The intense red of this wine is a reflection of its full, round taste. Its light perfume of violet joins a fruity bouquet of blueberries that quickly dissolves as you swallow so that, finally, your palate will sense the aroma of freshly turned earth and the scent of forest undergrowth. Our Cuvee Cot Garnon is a truly authentic red wine with a loving personality that recalls incessantly the land of its birth, Touraine. Although it can also be consumed immediately, it is worthy of keeping five or more years under proper conditions (I would say 10-20 for the 2005 - JR). This particular wine, so exacting, loves to be decanted before drinking. Our Cuvee Cot Garnon will heighten the taste of the finest red meats and will specially please you with game meat.” La Chapiniere produces this naturally made wine to compete with the best wines in France and they’ve succeeded. If you are into Clos Roche Blanche Cot or want to discover the masculine charms of this very interesting and delicious example, you may as well start at the top. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for price/value and relative rarity in a great vintage - this is a wine to watch on the world stage over the next few years. This parcel is directly from the source with perfect provenance: 2005 La Chapiniere Cot “Garnon” (Malbec/rouge) FIRST COME FIRST SERVED at this price up to 12/person until we run out Thank you, Jon Rimmerman Garagiste Seattle, WA Loire8177