Château de Pennautier, Cabardès 2008, France
Cabardes is an intresting appellation that straddles the border between the Languedoc – home of Grenache and Syrah – and Southwest France, where Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Malbec hold sway. This wine from one of the region’s top producers uses a blend of all five of these grapes. The nose is very inviting, with a pure, creamy cassis fruit just touched by cedarwood and graphite. On the palate, this is a very refined, silky wine with nothing showy, but also nothing mean or watery: it has a lovely fruit purity with those gentley earthy and spicy tones pushing through in a pretty long finish. 6.99 Majestic (currently buy two for 5.99 each).
