Perrin Vacqueyras Les Christins 2005

It turns out that we've reivewed this wine before - in fact, the second wine ever reviewed on this blog. Interesting to compare review - and the comments.

--- Iron Chef's review ---

Always been a personal favourite. One of those go to wines that never fail.
Nose- Cherries, Nutmeg and oak. Some meaty aromas and dries berries like Elderberries. Deep and roundly scented.
Taste- Grenadine, white pepper and a mocha latte with extra whipped cream. Some of the minced meat pie and fig flavours that I remember, but less. A bunch more fruit, highly extracted and … sweet. Thought of that drink, Shirley Temple. It was good, but not what I remember the 2004s as.
Overall- maybe it was the vintage or my mood, but I wasn't feelin it. I will continue to buy this wine, but I hope for better results in the future. BTW $19.95 at LCBO, 26% markup.

Price: $26.99
Score 86 (WS 91)
Value 3/5
Alcohol: 13.5%
Region: France- Southern Rhone
Grape: Grenache and Syrah
UPC: 631470000247

Perrin & Fils Les Christins 2005

No, I don't love every wine I drink. But since I'm starting this blog, I thought I might as well start with some wines I do like. Vacqueyras is a southern Rhone appellation, just to the north-east of Chateauneuf-du-Pape and this wine is a 75/25 blend of Grenache/Shiraz, two of the classic grapes of the region. It has good fruit (though not an Aussie fruit bomb), good complexity and excellent balance in the mid-note range. An old world wine with some new world character, I'd say. Kelly had this to say: "Reserved red fruit - raspberries, cranberries - evergreen and lavender on nose and palate. Long, ending with firm tannins." WineSpectator gave it a 91, and I'll go with that. Drinking well now.

Price: $25.29
Score: 91 [PS - but see comments. 89 is probably more accurate]
Value: 4/5
Tasted: January 2008
ANBL UPC: 631470000247