A briary bubble-gum blast of smoky floral, earth aching and tangible, wet wood and cranberry exploding out of the clear, bright red. A fruit-shy stony wonder on the tongue, sharp crystalline berry seemingly buried under structure at first, then crescendoing vividly into dark raspberry and pomegranate tang. Cab-franc vegetal mellowed and hyphenated with obvious Cab grit and structure–though nowhere approaching Napa-bomb levels: more a thin cotes de Bordeaux rasp of lightning-fresh texture. Peach-fuzz-bristled and distinctly dry, the almost-spritz-feeling high notes morphing easily to dank tannin.
2020 MARY TAYLOR WINE Pascal Biotteau CF/Cab 80/20 Saint-Jean des Mauvrets Anjou Loire France 13.0
Stephen McConnell 