Community Tasting Note

forceberry wrote:

Saturday, May 13, 2023 - A blend of Tannat, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc from vineyards ranging from 20 to 100 years in age. Macerated with the skins for 3 to 6 weeks. Aged in French oak barriques (30% to 50% new). 13,5% alcohol.

Deep, moderately opaque blackish-red color with a slightly evolved brick-red hue. The nose feels savory and quite similar to a classic Bordeaux with aromas of fresh red plums, some herbaceous leafy tones, a little bit of brambly raspberry, light sweeter notes of dark-toned toasty oak, a hint of licorice root and a woody touch of pencil shavings. The wine feels dry, savory and quite dense on the palate with a medium body and intense flavors of fresh blackcurrants and chokeberries, some tart red plums, a little bit of toasty oak spice, light gravelly mineral tones, a hint of ripe black raspberry and a herbaceous touch of leafy greenness. The wine is impressively structured and quite sinewy with its high acidity and quite grippy yet not aggressive tannins. The finish is juicy, dry and moderately grippy with a rather lengthy aftertaste of ripe blackcurrants, some crunchy notes of chokeberries and fresh black raspberries, a little bit of toasty mocha oak, light gravelly mineral tones, a sweeter hint of ripe red plum and a touch of herbaceous greenness.

A nice, firm and structured Madiran with very harmonious overall feel. With its somewhat - but not overdone - oak influence, the wine doesn't really come across as that old-school, but at the same time the wine (with its quite noticeable Cab component) feels very similar to a Bordeaux, just more "traditional" than most of the Bordeaux reds produced today. When it comes to the reds of Alain Brumont, I prefer these slightly leaner and more structure-driven Bouscassé wines to the Montus wines, which feel softer, more modern and less structured in comparison. This wine seemed still pretty youthful and I have no doubts it could continue to develop and improve for at least another decade - perhaps even more. At just 15,22€, this wine has been a bargain.

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