Rhone Review: Gerard Bertrand 2008 Grand Terroir Tautavel
The village Tautavel is lovely, and largely unknown to the outside world. It is perched in a high valley that links the French wine regions of Roussillon and Corbières.
Before now, Tautavel’s singular claim to fame was being the site of a major archeological find: Back in the 1970′s, a hominid skeleton dating back nearly a half million years was discovered near the town and was nicknamed the Tautavel Man.
Fast forward to this century, and the town is developing a reputation for it’s wines. The wines are mostly Syrah, blended with some Grenache and Carignan.
This particular bottle pushes the Syrah component to the top, and that is a very good thing. .It comes swinging out of the glass like a lunatic prizefighter. Blueberry, tobacco, wet leather, and game are the principal flavors, ending with licorice and burnt herbs. A woolly mammoth of a wine (so to speak).
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Epikur is a magazine about food and drink, with a focus on our hometown of Philadelphia.
