2016 Les Vieilles Pierres Costieres de Nimes

Happy Independence Day eve!  Advanced warning: I will not be posting tomorrow since I will be busy much of the day getting ready for 4th of July rib fest at my house!  So, in honor of my last evening of relaxation, I've opened a bottle of wine that was a gift from a former boss who has very similar taste in wine to me, the 2016 Les Vieilles Pierres Costieres de Nimes.  Now this AOC was once part of the Languedoc region, but given they seem to have more in common with the Rhone Valley, they shifted to the Rhone region.  Which makes some sense with this blend of Syrah (80%) and Grenache (20%) from a region that's been making wine since before the Romans arrived in France.  So let's see how this one tastes!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, as you'd expect from such a Syrah dominant blend.  The nose is a wonderful cascade of ripe red fruit, raspberry, cherry, strawberry and cassis overlaid with lovely floral notes.  The taste is a rush of tart cherry at the outset that transitions to some notes of green grass and olive notes midpalate.  The tannins are a bit tightly wound, resulting in a somewhat sharp, but very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, as it's a pleasant blend but still a bit young.  With a few years in the cellar this wine will no doubt improve.  As for pairings, this wine would go well with some nice chevre or perhaps with some steak or seafood.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a bit of an unorthodox pairing, with a big cold water lobster tail, mashed potatoes and chives and some steamed green beans.  The tart cherry in the wine is a nice foil to the richness of the lobster.  Cheers!