A Double Dose of French Wine

Most of us have tasted French wines. After all, they are the grandfather of wine making. For the most part, French wines are focused on the terroir, or the growing environment. You can really taste the earth and soil in their wines. I have two picks to share with you today:

Domaine de Mourchon, Seguret, Cote de Rhone, Family Reserve Grenache, 2009: $12 (http://www.domainedemourchon.com/). This wine comes from Rhone, or the the Southern part of France. The main grape is the Grenahce, but it also has 35% of Syrah in it as well. It has a deep, beautiful,  purple color, and smells of earth, cinnamon, and black cherry. It also tastes earthy. It is acidic and very tannic. This wine has huge potential, and the tannins will soften over a couple of years. I would hold this wine for at least 3 more years before trying.

Chateau Vrai Caillou, Bordeaux Superieur, 2009: $13 (http://www.vrai-caillou-darius.com/index2.php). This wine comes from the Bordeaux region of France. It has a ruby red color, and is a bit cloudy. It smells of plum, blackberry, vanilla, and spice. The taste is tangy, with cranberries and blackberries. It is full in body, somewhat acidic, and tannic. Again, I would age this wine for at least 3 years before trying, so the tannins can soften. On another note: this wine does not do well on its own. It needs to be paired with food, (I tried dark chocolate), to bring out its flavors and smooth texture.