2005 Domaine de la Combe au Loup

[dananne]

Cuvee de l'oisillon Beaujolais Villages

Yet another winner from the '05 vintage. This Chiroubles wine is denser and more structured than one would typically find from a Beaujolais, and it'll be one that will reward some bottle aging. Deep reddish-purple in color, grapey Beaujolais nose, and thick flavors of black cherry and raspberry are delivered with dusty tannins, which should subside in a few years. Right now, treat it more like a Pinot when food pairing, and I'd recommend a splash decant (something I rarely do with Beaujolais) and allow it to warm up a bit closer to room temp (as opposed to the slightly more chilled typical serving temp for Beaujolais). Alc. a food-friendly 12.5%. We paid about $14 locally.