Opened the 2005 Grosbois Chinon last night to share with my wonderful husband over a cold platter dinner consisting of various cold meats and vegetables. This is the last of three bottles purchased and enjoyed quite a bit on release, and the other two were consumed shortly thereafter. Time has done curious things: gone is the velveteen texture and overt spice I recall fondly, and in its place is polished black fruit, savage green notes, and a bit of vinegar. The acidity and tannins are good, though, and the fruit ample even if overshadowed by the green stuff, so after a few unsatisfying sips we put it back in the bottle to rest another day. Just now I pulled off the cork for a sniff to judge how it had fared overnight: the vinegar's huge. Rhododendron food!
In its place I decided to check on the progress of the 2004 Wynn's Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon I bought two cases of several years ago and have yet to taste. And it's most excellent: lots of dust and cigar tobacco, ample red and black fruit, well-structured. Drinks beautifully but should have at least five years and possibly ten from here. What a killer buy for just $10 each.
And while I'm talking about Down Under, I want to post a shout-out for the 2008 McGuigan Pinot Grigio, also from Oz. I would never pin this as PG, at least based on the European and American PG's I'm more familiar with, but I nonetheless love the refreshing lemon-lime flavors with a bit of green tea and freshly mown grass, as well as the apparent absence of oak. It was on clearance locally for $4 and we've been moving through the first case I bought fairly rapidly--it's a perfect summer wine, and we often have a white aperitif before opening a red with dinner. Though we have many wines to choose from for this purpose, we've both found ourselves gravitating back to the McGuigan, so much so that I went back to buy more. Alas, they were sold out. And that's as it should be. Great value!
