Somm Summ 2012-11-29: Walden Cotes Du Roussillon rouge 2009

I happen to be a fan of writers whose initials are H and T: Henry David Thoreau, Hunter S Thompson, etc. So when I came across this wine I was both a bit skeptical and curiously intrigued.

Skeptical because this wine is from Roussillon, an historic wine region in the far south of France, but in a bottle that has a very clean label, which really does not resemble what I would expect from this region. My radar warning goes off when I see things like this.

But, curiously intrigued exactly because it is from Roussillon. This is a wonderful wine region that is restating itself on the world market. A region that was never run over by mass production disasters, and is now a great source of traditionally styled wines often made from grape varietals not always found elsewhere.

Opening the bottle you can't help but note the clean label and the overweight bottle - always impresses, but it is of course the wine that counts. Once you taste though the skepticism fades away. The wine is supple, deep red in color with full berry flavors and plenty of juicy dark fruits to satisfy anyone in need of a jammy treat. The tannins are smooth and carry the finish for a good long time.  Balanced and well made.  This is a wine that will satisfy a wide range of consumers, but will also take care of the wine snob looking for quality.

All in all, very well made wine with style and heritage. Recommended, especially when you consider the price at $13, a total value.