WTN/Wine Advisor: Domaine des Terres Falmet 2006 Cinsault

[Robin Garr]

For today's tasting, let's continue Wednesday's inquiry into unusual and offbeat French varieties with a look at an intriguing, value-priced Languedoc red made from Cinsault (sometimes spelled "Cinsaut"). Like Wednesday's white Picpoul de Pinet, it's an occasional player in the 13-grape blend permitted in Chateauneuf-du-Pape and the Cotes-du-Rhone, but grown more often as a blending element or single-varietal wine in Languedoc. Cinsault may be best known, however, as Pinot Noir's partner in the cross that produced the South African trademark grape, Pinotage.

Domaine des Terres Falmet 2006 Cinsault Vin de Pays d'Oc ($11)

Garnet, with a pale violet edge. Strawberries and red apple skin, attractive fruit with just a hint of the earthy scent that the French call "sous bois" ("under the woods"), an evocative aroma that evokes thoughts of walks in a forest on a hot summer day. More good strawberry fruit and earth on the palate, "rainwater over rocks" minerality and soft but substantial tannins, balanced with sufficient acidity and more tart strawberries in the finish. Very interesting and complex, a fine demonstration of pure 100 percent varietal Cinsault in a rare solo performance. U.S. importer: United Estates Wine Imports Ltd., Worthington, Ohio. (Feb. 13, 2008)

FOOD MATCH: We went beyond the standard red-wine-with-beef option to try something more exotic, but the complex red was well up to it: Chicken steamed over aromatic cinnamon and star anise, cloaked with a curry-Dijon bechamel.

VALUE: A surprisingly complex wine for this price tag, a value perhaps explained by the generally modest reputation of Cinsault. (For an even finer price, Wine-Searcher.com indicates that our friends at Wine Library in New Jersey list it for $9.99[/url].)

WHEN TO DRINK: Its good structure, tannins and excellent fruit-acid balance would normally hint at some cellar potential, but I'm wary of aging wines for more than a couple of years under the slick-sleeve artificial cork.

WEB LINK:
Here's a link to the U.S. importer's Website:
http://www.unitedestateswines.com/

FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
Compare prices and look for vendors for Domaine des Terres Falmet Cinsault on Wine-Searcher.com:
http://www.wine-searcher.com/find/Falme ... g_site=WLP

Subscribe to The 30 Second Wine Advisor