This one’s only been in my house a couple days, but been itchin to try it. Never ran into JCP Maltus’ cheaper wines before and honestly didn’t know they existed. I am a big fan of their Napa WORLD’S END project, and of course their flagship cab-franc LE DOME needs no introduction. Found this at Bev-Mo for under 20 bucks (not on sale) and couldn’t resist. And sorry: it is NOT on the 5¢ Sale either.
Seriously garnet with an amber rim. Somewhat surprised a 6YO bdx shows this much brick. Clean and ripe-fruity on initial pour, I decided to decant and with air, actually develops more bretty funk in the nose. It is quite chubby, meaty and delicious-smelling, a serious California-ish contender of roundness and concentration. The fruit a thick canned cherry reduction, headed already a prunish direction, but with a solid wall of green-briar and bitter earth bouquet in the background.
In the mouth, somewhat of a donut-wine. Rich and fleshy up front, powerful acid and massive tannin in the rear–but with a hole in the middle. Pretty typical for Merlot at this PP. The berry is a strong, dark, roasted contingent, thinning considerably over the middle and then coming up powerfully against the equally-powerful structure. Sharp and bitter in the finish, it’s all pomegranate-seed and orange-rind–with the dank mirage of tiredness sans tertiary in the distance.
I’m going to highly recommend this wine. I don’t usually buy BDX under 30 bucks, but this one wins on all levels. Needs to be dranken in the next 5 years though, asking it to go further will definitely grant washed-out Merlot-fantasies to all involved. This is the exact OPPOSITE blend as Le Dome, and the CF bolsters and brightens everything throughout. 2014 is not a terrible vintage, and if you can find it, your pocketbook will thank you for picking up a few.
2014 JCP MALTUS Chateau de Monturon ME/CF 80/20 St. Emilion Grand Cru Bordeaux France 13.0
Stephen McConnell 