Chateau Tour Boisee Minervois 1999

Price: $17
Maker: Domaine La Tour Bois�e
Varietal: 30% Syrah, 30% Grenache, 30% Carignan, 10% Cinsaut
Packaging: 750 ml bottle, natural cork
Alcohol: 13.8%
Our Rating: 8.5 out of 10

We tried Chateau Tour Boisee Minervois 1999 (Marie Claude) as part of WBW #33. From the beginning, this wine makes its presence known. It had a prominent nose, with berry, anise, spice, and caramel notes. Its flavor was a mix of juicy cranberry and plum with peppery notes, with a mineral character. Overall it was quite astringent and puckery, though the bold flavors and complexity balanced the wine to the point where the astringency wasn’t unpleasant. Extra breathing time rounded out the flavor to a degree, but some bite remained in the wine’s sustained finish. Our personal tastes lean toward the slightly fruitier, less dry offerings of California and Australia vineyards, but it was interesting to try the more European Chateau Tour Boisee Minervois. After this intriguing experience, I might have to seek out some other reds from similar regions to compare.