Mile High's Wine of the Week: August 28th
La Croix de Saint Jean Minervois 2009
Regular Price:
$24.99
Sale Price:
$14.99
Sale End:
8/31/2014
Score:
91 Points Robert Parker
Grenache and Syrah love each other and winemakers all over the world love bringing them together. This week we have a stellar Grenache and Syrah blend from the Southern Rhone Valley in France that is guaranteed to make you all kinds of happy! The 2009 vintage in the Rhone was one for the ages with exceptionally good conditions that gave producers like La Croix de Saint Jean an opportunity to really showcase their terroir. Their Minervois, Lo Mainatge, offers an alluring bouquet of dark fruit, meaty and smoky notes, and a touch of that unmistakable scent of the forest floor after a good rain. The palate is delicious! It has impressive density with abundant flavors of blackberries, cassis liqueur, and black currants that make the entry and mid-palate so pleasurable. The finish is thoroughly complete with plenty of warm cinnamon, crushed white pepper, limestone, mint, and anise. The winemakers chose not to use any oak on this cuvee in order to allow the exceptional character of the fruit to shine through.
On to the Tasting Notes:
You folks all know what a sucker I am for Southern Rhone wines. So it shouldn’t be any surprise that I was unable to resist when one of my favorite suppliers offered me a killer deal on this gorgeous 91 point 2009 Minervois. This cuvee is unoaked and I think in a lesser vintage it might have been to the wine’s detriment. But in as opulent a vintage as the 2009 was the Grenache and Syrah are really able to sing without having any oaky notes in their way. The nose offers up a good bit of that classic Syrah meatiness along with some smoky and earthy notes. There is also a generous amount of fruit and a savory somewhat herbaceous character as well that translates very nicely into the wine’s finish. But between the nose and the finish the ‘09 La Croix de Saint Jean bursts with creamy, luscious fruit. Blackberry, black currant, cassis liqueur, and ripe plum come through in waves making this one seem like a perfect red for serving on a cool late summer evening out on the deck. The finish displays a pleasant pop of fruit tannin and quite a lot of spice and minerality. It is surprisingly complex considering the cost and the relative opulence of the fruit. In fact, while it is drinking quite nicely now, it may be worth cellaring for a couple more years in order to allow some of that nuance and complexity to continue to evolve. Drink it through 2018 or thereabouts.
Food Pairing:
Chris was out at dinner earlier in the week and he said he had some fantastic braised bison tacos. I think that the slightly gamy flavor of the bison will pair up really nicely with that Syrah and the spice on the finish should cut right through the fat from the braise. Add a side of fresh summer squash sauteed with a hint of guajillo chili and you’re really be in business!
You MUST mention this special or print it out to receive the price on the above wine.
This price expires 8/31/2014 at 6pm and is limited to in-store quantities.
No rain checks given. Call (303) 936-0272 to reserve bottles with a credit card.