Without delving too deep into the epistemological aspects of our French coverage to date, I would like to state for the record my exposure to Cahors has been minimal, but thus far in 2023 has been delightful and probably will lead to a deeper exploration as the year goes on. I may even dedicate the remainder of my content portion exclusively to the region. If distribution, time, and finances allow, of course.
This small little vineyard in Pomerol gets scant volume released over here, so it was good fortune to have one of the last bottles sitting on the shelf at my local.
Nose: A weird, almost medicinal, mixture of brine and olive at first but a big hit of red fruit appears within a few minutes and balances things out. A little bit of cured leather as it sits for a bit longer (at the 15-minute mark over here), but the red fruit sweetness takes the lead for the remaining passes. Quite thankfully, too. The first pass made me wonder if I had purchased a bad bottle.
Palate: A bit of a pivot from the red fruit leading on the nose. Less fruit and more oak and vegetal notes (mushroom, rosemary). On later sips, there's a bit of plum and baking spice. Medium tannins and high acidity.
Finish: Medium to long. The oak fades and the fruit emerges and that salty brine from the nose returns towards the finish. Definitely gets more savory as time goes by.
I can see why diehard loyalists of Cahors love this style, it's such a wild ride between the sweet and savory and it never really fails to keep attention or stoke boredom. If this is representative, of course.
$30