Holy shit I mean just flat out holy shit I mean once you get past the color, the absolute lack of brick the total impenetrable stainingness of it, the fact that it’s all rather austere rocky catacombs for the first 20 minutes, funky and dank and then this ridiculous fruit, gorgeous berry and dusty rose comes pounding out of it mopped up with yogurt and olive oil and herbs de provence, a grizzled salty beard on a Pendelton collar, tanned and squinty… but still chocolate. So go figure.
Then you taste it. I don’t think I could ever guess what this was blind if my life depended on it. There’s a No. Rhone-ness to it. There’s a Bandol to it, there’s a Tempranillo to it, there’s a Sangio to it. There’s just no way to qualify the direction a wine like this goes. Sweet and full and crisp over the middle, only in the finish does a little bit of age show–in a bitter briary edge rimmed with watery fruit. Dry and tannic in the end… I mean, I suppose that part should trouble me but it don’t. God what a beautiful wine. And I have a couple more.
2000 Chateau Viella Village Tannat Madiran AOC France 12.5
Stephen McConnell 