SAINT JEAN DU BARROUX L'OLIGOCENE - 2003

Located in Provence, this wine is 63% Red Grenache, 15% Syrah, 10% Carignan and 10% Cinsault. Aged 24 months in tank and barrel with 15% alcohol.

TASTING NOTES:

Purple-black color with lots of sediment. Huge port-like flavors and aromas. Red meat, paint-thinner and creme-de-cassis on the nose. Lots of black fruit, black currant, and cherry with hints of black pepper, fresh herbs and vanilla underneath. Incredibly concentrated - almost fortified in a liqueur-kirsch kind of way.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

90+ PTS

A valiant and original effort. There's some heat and the alcohol is a bit heavy at 15%, but this is a unique wine with extraordinary depth and character. Retails for around $24 which makes this wine a good value in comparison to Chateauneuf-du-Papes in this price range.