Pinot-Pretending

ENCOUNTERED AT today's exploration of the L.I.W.S.F.... Domaine de L'Hortus Pic Saint-Loup Grand Cuvée '04. It convincingly pretends to be Pinot Noir but is in fact a harmonious trio of Syrah, Mourvèdre and Grenache. With very seductive precocious aromas of ripe cherry, cinammon dust, drying lavender and even slight wallpaper paste, this developing, ultra-feminine wine is one my recently aquired housemate, Patricia and I would gladly grow old with.

On the palate, soft, rounded and gorgeous with a sly nod towards bitter, 85P/C cocoa chocolate in its sufficient but never intrusive tannic spine. A pleasingly haunting finish is replete with an injection of cooked cream, cajouling with a long-deserted cedar cigar box.

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Pictured, after show cool-down drinks at The Fox.