2004 Domaine de Piaugier

I got some of this from Garagiste. This was my last bottle. It was good. I would drink it again. Here is a picture.



Sorry, that's all I have in me today.

2005 Le Quatre Filles Cote du Rhone Villages Rochegude

Another Garagiste acquisition. This wine cost $12. I bought three or four based solely on the description which I will quote here: "This is a gritty, tannic, deep and true old-style Rhone wine with an unprecedented balance and charm from the 2005 vintage." How could you pass on that?

We uncorked the wine and let it warm up to room temperature. Once it had been unleashed it was like a bad house guest. It was like someone had kicked dirt in my face. It is dark and earthy. It was a great wine, and one I would go back for even if the price doubled. But this is no casual drinker. This is the sort of wine you need to drink with food. Or a wine you need to drink after drinking some other bottle of wine. Maybe it will settle down with age--it should age well for a while given its current feistiness.

I love it when French wines come through.

2004 Domaine de Piaugier Sablet

Lucas and Jen came over for dinner last Sunday. Sara made a crab and ricotta stuffed manicotti (which was excellent). Tradition would dictate that I should open a white wine of some sort, but I just didn't have any. That's not true, I have some, but I didn't want to open them. So I decided to pull a southern Rhone wine out of the cellar.

The 2004 Domaine de Piaugier Sablet (appellation Cotes de Rhone Villages) was perfectly suited for the task. I picked it up for $10 a bottle. The wine was a wonderful drinker; well-suited to accompany the crab. Lots of blackberry in the front and just a hint of pepper in the finish. The wine is aged in concrete casks, so there's no oak to it. Incredibly smooth for a wine at any price point, but especially this one. I'm a convert. Hopefully I'll be able to pick up some more.