WTN: 2007 J.P. Chenet Founder's Reserve Merlot-Cabernet

This oaked red from Languedoc Rousillon was given to me as a gift. It's quite neat to look at, what with the nifty bent bottle and all. At first I wasn't sure what that said about the style of the wine, but not to worry - this is a very decent table wine.

$11.95 at the LCBO. 14% alc./vol. Closed with an artifical/plastic cork.

Very dark, deep garnet colour throughout. Ethereal red fruit aromas atop darker-fruit aromas, balanced with savoury oak nuances and just a bit of green bell-pepper spice. Quite full on the palate with good balance and structure; in fact, quite well structured for a wine in its price range - a welcome thing in this day of smoothness- and flab-worship. Very pleasant oak tannin and spice, with invigorating acidity, grainy tannins, a medium body and chalkiness towards the aft-palate. Pleasant all around with spice and well-apportioned, appetizing and elegant oak spice into the finish.

As with nearly all reds of quality, this is better on day two than immediately after being opened. A natural match with roast beef and all the trimmings.

Thumbs up.

[Jenise]

Good to see a tasting note from you, Paul, it's been awhile. Cool bottle--I might have bought it myself just for that, though I know such foolishness is usually rewarded with same. Hadn't considered it before but the Languedoc is probably a good place for a man with your tastes--for the most part, they're burly and big and yet not without sophistication.

Hadn't considered it before but the Languedoc is probably a good place for a man with your tastes--for the most part, they're burly and big and yet not without sophistication.

I don't buy a lot of Languedoc wine, but you're not far off the mark at all. Some of my favourite French wines are in fact from the Southwest; Madiran is probably number one, but even there we have been deluged lately in Ontario with examples that promise "easier drinking than traditional Madiran" - to which I roll my eyes and sigh a loud "oy vey..."

Modernization is getting harder and harder to avoid - though I'll say that when I do find a burly yet well-structured Languedoc red, I'm a happy camper.

On day three, the wine was pretty much dull and mute ... and the high alcohol really seared its way through.

Oh well - perhaps not young reds improve with aeration after all.

Hey Paul, check out the thread here..."My second best food/wine pairing for `08" by Keith M!!