WTN: Chateau Laurou Tradition 2005

AC Fronton

100 per cent Négrette

Very dark red in the glass.

Smoky nose.

Light bodied, tangy acidity, quite fresh, raspberry and strawberry fruit, lightly floral, refreshing. After some time, it became rather thin and quite tart.

Drying, raspberry on the finish.

Purchased at $13.85 (Canadian).

Thanks for the unusual TN, Bruce.

I had not heard of Negrette before and so I did a little research ... turns out it's a deeply pigmented grape with thin skins that needs crop control to be at its best - more info here.

Interesting that the wine is AC Fronton; this might be a wider, separate appellation as compared to Côtes du Frontonnais, which according to the Wikipedia entry at least, "requires that 50% to 70% of the blend be comprised of the Negrette grape. The other 50% to 30% must be cabernet franc and cabernet-sauvignon (maximum 25% together) and/or cot (maximum 25%) and/or fer (maximum 25%) and/or syrah (maximum 25%) and/or the cinsaut, gamay, mauzac (a white grape) and merille (maximum 15% together). At least three grape varieties must be used".

Interesting nevertheless.