French red wine values tasted in 2008

The selected French bottlings have given me much pleasure for the price. I have purchased them again for personal consumption. I would consider doing so even with a 50 percent mark-up. (My criteria are explained here.)
 

The below wines were tasted in France, in 2008 (between April and December).The tasting notes are listed by increasing prices, with the following format:

Appellation - producer - plot or brand - variety
Vintage - approximate price - general impression - on nose - on palate - after swallowing
 

 Vin-de-pays-d'oc - Domaine des Cauzes - Cabernet sauvignon

NV - 1.9 € - decent, partly made with underipe grapes - the nose shows red fruit, red pepper, and a note of tyre - the palate shows red fruit, red pepper, a note of tyre, balance - chemical banana lingers

Leader Price

 Vin-de-pays-d'oc - Intervins - Mis en bouteille à F-11000 - Cabernet sauvignon

2006 - 2 € - can be enjoyable depending on the bottling, conventional agricultural practice leads to a scrambled fruit - the nose mainly shows earth and lead pencil, with a note of red pepper - the balance is food friendly, with flavours of varietal fruit, red pepper and lead pencil, with a hint of chocolate

Ed, filiale de Carrefour

 Vin-de-pays-des-Coteaux-de-l'Ardèche - Vignerons ardéchois - (en cubitainer ou en vrac) - gamay

2007 - 2.5 € - aromas of ripe strawberry - the palate is conventional (unlike a natural wine), firm

 Vin-de-pays-des-Coteaux-de-l'Ardèche - Vignerons ardéchois - Cuvée Modestine - gamay

2007 - 3 € - cherry on the nose - cherry in the mouth, the fruit is not clean, as if pummeled, the balance is firm

 Côtes-du-rhône - SCA les Vignerons d'Estézargues - Le Pape noir

2006 - 5 € - served at a cool temperature, this wine has more intensity of fruit than Le Pape noir 2005 tasted at the same age - the nose primarily shows black fruit and 'garrigue' - the mouth is dense (but less so than the 2005), showing black fruit and spice, the wine feels round, tender (no tanins), supple

 Cahors - Clos Siguier - (Malbec, 95%)

2005 - 6 € - this wine improves with airing, it is a beauty of delicacy, balance and perfume - it's like you go out to a garden after a shower: dust, raspberry, flower, an herbal note, then black licorice and a hint of cocoa, very pure and enticing - so lively in the mouth! flavours echo the nose, the wine dries the palate, with a nice texture, light on its feet (unlike a cahors or a Malbec): firm and a great complement to food

 Crozes-hermitage - Cave de Tain - [syrah]

2005 - 7 € - a wine with structure and a complete maturity of the grapes - the nose shows blackcurrant, blackberry and roasted notes -b rich on the palate, red fruit, violet, firm, dries the palate, balanced, a keeper - final notes of blackcurrant, cherry and spice

 Saint-joseph - Cave de Tain - Les Perdrigolles - [syrah]

2005 - 9 € - strawberry on the nose - strawberry in the mouth, a slightly incomplete ripeness, juicy, balanced

en grande distribution

 Saint-chinian - Jean-Marie Rimbert - Les Travers de Marceau - (cinsault, syrah, mourvèdre, carignan)

2006 - 7.2 € - nicely perfumed - the nose is very fruity (plum) - a muscular entry, red fruit, cutting acidity, ponderous and yet very lively

 Vin-de-pays-de-l'Ardèche - Le Mazel - Saint-Philippe - (syrah)

2005 - 9 € - red fruit jelly dominates the nose - onctuous, red fruit jelly, the wine is not drying the palate

 alsace - Audrey et Christian Binner - pinot noir

2006 - 11 € - Morello cherry dominates the nose - little onctuosity, Morello cherry, a note of fur, light, firm, asks for more!

Quarterly additions

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