2008 Gerard Bertrand Minervois

Tonight I am going to the south of France for some wine, where hopefully the taste and terroir will give me a feeling of the bright sun shining on my face as the cool Mediterranean breeze envelopes me...but I digress...it's still May in Michigan and there's a freeze warning tonight!  At any rate, this wine is a blend of Syrah and Carignan, a perfect example of the Minervois appellation.

The wine is a brooding dark color in the glass, and the nose is a pleasant combination of blackberry, cocoa powder and a hint of coffee.  The taste is somewhat less fruity than I would have expected given the nose, but it was quite nice, with initial flavors of tart cherry and black currant, which gave way to some chalky earth and green herbs midpalate.  The finish was just lovely, with some dark chocolate notes over some evolving tannins that made way for a long, smooth, dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, it's drinking quite nicely now, but it will likely evolve over the next few years.  And it was a good bargain as well, as I think I got this one from wineshopper.com for about $15!  As for pairings, tonight I am going 180 degrees against the grain, as the label suggest this would pair nicely with beef, sausage or pasta with red sauce, but tonight I am enjoying this with some pan seared ahi tuna, prepared with a bit of olive oil and Mediterranean spices, along with some roasted potatoes and fresh steamed asparagus that I picked up at a farm on the way home from Chicago yesterday.  Cheers!