91% Caberent 9% Cabernet Franc. 14% Alc Decanted 2 hours. - This wine had a complex nose of asphalt (route 66) menthol, green herbs, vanilla and toasted oak which overshadowed the subtle notes of cassis, plum, and blackberry fruit that was lurking with the damp earth. The initial taste was overwhelming tar with some black cherry and roasted meat. The finish was medium in length.
With a dinner of fresh bacon wrapped filet mignon, twice baked potato, grilled asparagus, some bay scallops and sauce bernaise this wine neither enhanced nor detracted, it basically stayed the same. Some tar and black cherry notes were evident with the steak although there was no food it was really fond of. I had planned on a cheese course after dinner of aged Gouda, Monchego, Navarra, and dry Jack. The gouda brought the fruit very forward in this wine and was probably the best match although not exciting. The wine had no real reaction to the Monchego, the Navarra battled with the wine as to which one was more intense and although this was an interesting match, it was more a competition then a match. The dry Jack made this wine tannic and somewhat bitter.
All in all this was an 89 point wine for me and a bit of a dissappointment for my Birthday wine. The nose was the best thing about this wine as it was multi layered and difficult to pin down. However if you ever been on route 66 on a hot day, you have the basic component in this wine. Maybe I had an off bottle from some of the other notes I read but this one just did not show well.
I believe I could have almost liked this wine, I don't mind tarry notes, nor black cherry, I do like menthol/eucalyptus and all the rest that you put a name to, except of course the green herbs. I find a lot of that on Chilean cabernet, especially in the $25 dollar and below price range. So much so that I don't think I have purchased one other than the Montes Alpha which I find to age very well for up to 8 -10 years.
I had this wine once before and it was much better then what I had yesterday so I still think that it was either bottle variation or just a bad bottle of the Don Melchor. However I did do much better tonight. We stopped and picked up some fresh Tuna steaks for dinner and opened up a 05 Loring Clos Pepe Pinot Noir. This wine was excellent and much more to my liking. Unfortunately this is getting to be a very expensive week... Oh well maybe they call it the 12 days of christmas due to the great wines we drink each day during this holiday? Sounds like a plan to me!