'03 La Ferme Saint Pierre Cotes du Ventoux

[Innkeeper]

'03 La Ferme Saint Pierre, Cotes du Ventoux ($10 Blue Hill Wine Shop). Alcohol level 14%. Have to admit that this wine has a beautiful label. This was provided to the shop by a former employee who now works for the small distributor Devenish in Ellsworth, ME: "It's made from 1/2 and 1/2 Syrah and Grenache. Paul Vendran is the owner/winemaker on the property that is situated in the shadow of Mount Ventoux, an extinct volcano, so the grapes have the benefit of being grown in rich volcanic soil. The grapes were very ripe because of 2003's heat and even though the wine is unfiltered it isn't over the top because Paul left the wine on the skins for a relativley short time, 8 days, so they didn't pick up to much in the way of tannins. The wine smells of ripe raspberries, black berries and has a sort of earthy characteristic I can't quite place. The palate follows with a load of concentrated fruit up front followed by an earthy peppary mid-palate and a dry lingering finish."

I couldn't disagree more. It gave nothing on the nose or upfront. It was watery with no discernable things positive across the palate, and no finish. Like a thinly made early California Grenache.

Washed down some wonderful loin lamb chops, and salad with B.C. dressing with it.