Tonight's dinner of a three chesse baked lasagne called for a robust and acidic red wine. While down in the cellar in search of such a mythical beast, I came across a wine that might just fit the bill:
2005 Dom. Etxegaraya Irouleguy
nose: dusty, leafy, bright red fruit
palate: medium body, fresh acids, red fruit, lightly tannic, slightly bitter finish
Opened in the mistaken belief that this wine was mostly Tannat (it's actually 40% Cab Franc, 60% Tannat), my first impression was of a young Cab Franc from the Loire. There might be a bit more tannic structure to this wine than e.g. a Clos Roche Blanche Pif or Baudry Les Granges, but all in all it cleaves pretty close to those models. In service of the food, though, it did quite well, as the acidity and light tannins served to cut through the tomatoes and cheese of the dish. Imported to the US by Kermit Lynch. 13% ABV
Mark Lipton