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We are long-time members of the RN Estate wine club. Today, as I was browsing the Eurocave™ I spotted this beauty on the shelf. Before I write about it, here’s some advice if you’re lucky enough to own some of this: give it a few more years. There are still some slightly rough tannins and a bit of oak. But we’re old and impatient. (If you’re curious about our history with this winery, search for RN Estate.)
Forthwith, my notes: aromas of smoke and black pepper followed by a dark, brooding palate. Notes of brambleberries and dried tart cherries lead to a long, slightly tannic finish. If you can find it, buy it and be patient.
Amazingly, you can still buy this on the RN Estate website for a mere $49. This is a serious bargain.
Owner-winemaker Roger Nicolas regularly makes these blends, using proportions adjusted to each year’s vintage. The 2009 is 50 percent syrah, 19 percent cabernet sauvignon, 18 percent merlot, and 13 percent zinfandel. In Bordeaux and Burgundy a blend like this would be illegal. Luckily for us, Roger is beyond the reach of the French wine authorities.
