Hope everyone had a good Valentine’s Day. I, personally, have never been a fan of that day and this year being on a Saturday, I am sure dinner reservations were fun. We did something more simple at home with friends. We had a leg of lamb roast paired with a Cabernet Franc. We also opened a sparkling Malbec, which a review will be coming soon.

Today’s selection would have also been a good pairing with a lamb roast. The 2011 Sanglier Rouge Du Tusque is a blend of 40% Syrah, 30% Grenache, 10% Cinsault, 10% Mourvedre, & 10% Petit Syrah. An interesting blend that you do not see as often as you should from California.

The suggested retail according to Sanglier Cellar’s website is $26 and only 426 cases were produced. Here are the tasting notes from that same link:

On the nose is a pronounced intensity with aromas of roasted coffee, cured meats, blackberries, plum, and ground pepper. A dusty, earthy quality adds complexity to the fruit. On the palate notes of plums and dark berries framed by coffee, pepper, and warm spices.

So what did I think?

Color – Very deep dark red with no lightness on the edges at all.

Nose – I wrote perfumed fruit so I guess that could be pronounced intensity. I also got the coffee but I got black cherry and spices too.

Taste – Blackberry cassis with leather and vanilla.

Finish – medium to long with medium acid and medium to strong tannins.

Overall, this wine has a good flavor and it is medium-bodied wine. This wine is more earthy on the taste though it smells very fruit forward. I really liked this one as your everyday medium flavor medium bodied wine. I was hoping for a little more complexity but still a good wine.

Rating: B+

~Justin