Chateau Fontalem L'Auriolle (Renaud)
Merlot, Cabernet, Cabernet Franc
Bordeaux Supérieur
Bordeaux, France
2003
13.5%
$10.99 -- Parker & Otis, Durham, NC
Color: Deep red-brown
Nose: Raspberries, maybe even a little orangey
Body: Medium
Front: Minerals, then a little tannic
Middle: Dark fruits
Back: Nice leather and wood
Burns clean?: No
Cap: Short cork
This is a stately, reserved, bargain of a wine. It's like fall, bottled. Nothing is too big; all the flavors lurk low like you're feeling them through a fog. But it's a tasty fog.
Bonus tasting tip: If you drink it with raclette cheese, it tastes like marshmallows.
