From the Rhone region, the 2009 Clefs des Murailles was quite pleasant. Although it was difficult to pinpoint distinct characteristics of the wine, everyone seemed to have enjoyed the balance and texture (brought to a dinner with my in-laws). Personally, I smelled some oak; however others could not. Apparently the wine is 70% Grenache, which surprised me because it did not have that typical berry/cherry taste. My in-laws joked as they recently read my posting about wine glasses and mentioned that perhaps it was the wine glass and nothing else. For the price and overall balance of the wine, I am going to give this 3 stars. I want to try this one again, as I think I might be underrating this wine. Purchased at Costco for Y980 I think it was well worth the price.
Summary: Good balance and texture; however distinct characteristics were difficult to identify
Rating: 3 Stars
Purchase Cost: Y980 (Costco)
Other Japanese Retailers: Could not find another retailer with the same vintage
USA Retail Price: $17.99
Food: Rolled cabbage, vegetable tempura, fruit salad, and Japanese rice (lovely food!) Thank you!
I think I have the comment posting issues solved. Never seen that wine, but all Vacqueras need to be at least 50% Grenache. I would be surprised if its been in new oak as that is not traditional in the region.
ReplyDeleteKeep the posts coming!