January Wine Pick: Bouqueteau Traditional Chinon 2012

This WINE PICK of the month was written for the Luke's of Cape Cod website.

(pictured on right)

In my opinion there’s no other single varietal more satisfying than a Cabernet Franc done right. Admittedly they’re not done right very often, but this one sure is. In France's Loire Valley there’s a commune called Chinon and Cabernet Franc, a parent of Cabernet Sauvignon, is pretty much what they do. The thing that fascinates me about Cabernet Franc is its aroma. I could just smell it all day, not have a single sip and be completely happy. Bouqueteau’s nose has violets, fresh tomato leaves, red bell pepper, ice-melt salt and beach sand.

The palate has home-made cranberry sauce (that morphs into red plum as the wine opens up), green pepper, dried herbs and brown spices, with a cherry and vanilla cola finish.

Its ingredient-like and seasoning-like character along with high acidity and round tannin make it compatible with a wide range of food from pasta with tomato sauce, to hearty steaks, to herb-rubbed chicken breasts, to camembert brie.

QUALITY VS PRICE RATING

Price: $15
Rating: 4/5 = Recommended.

(what does that mean?)

The bottle used was purchased by myself for the purpose of this review.