Who wants an $18 bottle of wine 13 years old? Well, with ABC, it’s a no-brainer. Found this little guy lurking in the cellar begging to be opened and it’s all uphill from here. Glorious thin, transparent garnet brick in the glass, a tertiary-ridden nose expressing ridiculous fruit and NOTHING even remotely fatigued. Dusty and dirty, cherry coalesced down into concentrated still-bright fruit, very little Pinot funk, but showing everything a Pinot should.
In the mouth, acidic and compelling: acidity bursting about the crazy berry, morphing perfectly into chalky dry astringency where tannin still plays heavily along sweet lines of velvety cranberry and ripe plum. You literally CAN’T peg a better bargain at this age–and note: this is not a Knox Alexander or Isabella’s or anything like that. This is the entry $30-list SBC which–well shopped–comes into your supermarket basket under 20 bucks. Easily one of the greatest bargains out there.
2009 AU BON CLIMAT PN/Mondeuse 76/24 Santa Barbara County 13.5
Stephen McConnell 