90+ 2009 Rimbert Le Mas au Schiste (St. Chinian) 1/16/12 ($20)
40% Carignan, 30% Grenache, 30% Syrah 13% alc
Color: Deep black cherry. (3.0) Bouquet: Cinnamon and gingerbread with cola and tart black cherry and blueberry. Elegant and interesting with herbal complexity. (3.0) Body: Solid middleweight with excellent fruit and acidity. Very well balanced. (3.0) Flavor: Parallels bouquet. Very tasty and racy. (3.5) Finish: Tangy with excellent length, but not quite as open as flavor. (3.0)
Overall: Rimbert's straight Carignan is interesting and tasty, but rustic and meant to go with more hearty foods. This is their premium red, a blend that is even better than their straight Carignan, with more elegance, to go with more elegant dishes. Shows a combination of racy tart cherry, berry and cola fruit with excellent acidity and baking spice complexity. Burgundian in style, but a little more ripe, this is Southern France afterall. Drinking well now, but could improve in the next few years. (15.5)
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