Castelmaure : La Grande Cuvée 2009

The Grande Cuvee selections see more oak, and I'm not sure they are better for it. The oak component restrains the exuberance of the fruit, which is reflected in the more streamlined and reticent aromatics. The blend uses much more Grenache and Syrah and less Carignan. The fully mature 2009 Corbieres Grande Cuvee offers dusty, loamy soil notes intermixed with Provencal herbs, licorice, and red and black currants. Drink it up. Well-known in these pages, Fran Kysela runs a surprisingly large-volume import business with a strong focus on value-priced wines from Southern France, Argentina, Australia, and Spain. Importer: Fran Kysela, 331 Victory Rd., Winchester, VA; tel. (540) 722-9228; fax (540) 722-9258

Rich nose, black fruits with notes of liquorice and violet, very aromatic on the palate, with a lovely texture, plenty of fruit, good length and beautiful balance. A great success for this grand cuvée!