2011 La Grapperie Coteaux du Loir Adonis

Community Tasting Notes (2) Avg Score: 88 points

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  9/12/2014 - williamturck Likes this wine:

  Light. Very aromatic. Earthy and peppery. Hints of strawberries.

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  3/19/2014 - bevetroppo Likes this wine: 88 Points

  Confusing Loire label alert!!! NFW to suss this from what's presented, although to their credit there's a link to the producer's website in tiny type at the bottom of the front label, just where'd you'd look for it?
  
  I had to ask the grape in the wine shop and they quickly replied pineau d'aunis, and just as I was about to say, "why do they call it Adonis?" I got the pun, which was lost on the wine shop team but amused me to no end and sealed the deal, along with the equally small 12% ABV.
  
  I'm no expert on this grape and seem to recall dimly that my last experience didn't necessarily end well, but this one's called Adonis, so could it really be pug-ugly?
  
  Some of these weird organically farmed French and Italian grapes seem to take on a slightly brown-edged, dirty red color. It takes a little sheen off my anticipation, though I couldn't say if it's more Emilio or Charlie. Oddly, that perception extends to the nose, which features a streak of dirt-encrusted herbs, like you just pulled them off a mud-splashed plant, abundant cracked black pepper, elusive red berry fruits and a savory almost meaty overtone. It's light to medium bodied, with abundant acid, a slight but not insignificant bitterness and prickly tannins on the finish. The fruit darts in and out of the dirt, in fact, it's flirty, it looks about 30, it says it likes the way I held the microphone. Ok, I'm still feeling like if they can make the label inscrutable, they get the tasting note they deserve.
  
  My overall assessment is that this won't be everyone's idea of Adonis, or even Don Adams. It's funky, bitter and idiosyncratic, like the Jura is still out on it. It may perplex you, but it's never boaring.

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