Sound and Fury

2003 Domain du Cayron, Gigondas. Grenache Noir-based blend from the southern Rhone. I'm a sucker for Grenache.

I discovered this wine at a fortuitously-timed tasting at Renaissance a few weeks ago. I got to that tasting late. The bottle was almost empty and had been open for like eight hours. I was quite curious to explore this wine under better circumstances, so I took a bottle home with me.

Eyes: slightly cloudy garnet with a bit of purple to it. Thin watery rim.

Nose: Big, ripe fruit.

Tongue: Big, ripe fruit: strawberry, cherry, and plum. Maybe some red currant. Light acidity — just enough to escape flabdom — and soft but present tannins. Full bodied.

Wallet: $27. A reasonable value. I give it a 5 on my open-ended scale, verging on 6, but not quite enough acidity. It's still young, and I could easily see this cellaring well for years. It may well mature into something truly impressive; I am as yet a poor judge of such things.