WTN: non-weekend weekend wines (Bdx, Cahors, Beaujolais)

Saturday we had a snowstorm coming in, and I spend most of day (and hunk of evening) dealing with logistics of balancing keeping volunteers safe and helping people. But we did manage to break away to slide up to Sleepy Hollow to join friends for a long-planned "comfort food" dinner- meatloaf, dairy-rich mashed potatoes, peas, and salad.

2006 Ch. Picau-Perna (St Emilion)
A new one to me. A bit green, light tannins, higher acids. Red plums and currants. More Entre-Deux-Mers than St Emilion, but certainly drinkable. B-

2004 Clos la Coutale Cahors
A Kermit import, but this doesn't strike me as a real traditional "black wine" (I usually think of KL as doing more traditionally styled wines). Pretty approachable, bright blackberry and elderberry fruit, a little hint of vanilla. I like this, though I think the chances of me identifying blind as Cahors (or Malbec) are near zero. Very pleasant wine. B

Today wasn't much of a day off either, I "woveled" out vans before driving to city, brought back folks for our annual meeting. By time I returned home Betsy was leaving to watch her niece in a track meet, but dinner only required me to turn off the kale, put chicken in the oven, and prepare the carrots (with orange and ginger). Wine was the 2007 George Descombes Regnie. I confess I have no real sense of the Regnie cru. Have I ever had one before? I can't recall. My first reaction is not especially positive - red cherry and cranberry, but a little overly floral. But with just a bit of air it smooths out- still floral but more integrated. Red cherry and berry, good acidity, no discernible tannin, nice length, a good chicken wine.B/B+

Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.

2004 Clos la Coutale Cahors
A Kermit import, but this doesn't strike me as a real traditional "black wine" (I usually think of KL as doing more traditionally styled wines)

Perhaps not traditional 'black wine' but then again not all Cahors is/was made in the black wine style. I think Coutale is slightly 'modern' (in the sense that they use a good dollop of merlot - used to be 10% don't know what it is now) and approachable, but certainly nothing outlandish and doesn't seem totally out of line with the overall KLWM portfolio. If I remember correctly he has quite a few affordable and forward producers in various regions.

I recall from my Cahors trip last Spring learning that quite a large part of the terroirs in the Cahors area is mainly suitable for producing easy going and early drinking wines and I certainly tasted quite a few good ones like that. Add in some 15% Merlot like at Coutale and we are long way from anything corresponding to the "Black Wine" descriptor upon which the Cahors marketing people seem to pin a lot of their hopes.

Coutale will always find a place in my cellar. `05 on the shelf here and I have to wonder if the style has changed over the last few years? The `99 was a huge monster in my books.