sean brendan

This French Wine, La Vieille Ferme Cotes Du Ventoux 2005 is a great deal, at $6 from the local grocer in Kirkland.

What they say: Production area is the southern slopes of the Mont Ventoux (1912 metres/ 5736 feet), 25 km/40 miles
to the east of Orange. The vineyards lie around the towns of Mazan, Moimoiron, Villes sur Auzon, Puymeras and Saint-Didier,
where the average height above sea levelis 300 metres/1000 feet. The geology varies according to altitude but consists for the most part of deposits left around the base of the chalky Mont Ventoux by the seas of the Tertiary period. Red Mediterranean
soils blend with chalk debris and round stones. Grape Varieties contributing to this wine are: Grenache 50%, Syrah 20%,
Carignan 15% and Cinsault 15%. Nearly all the grapes are lightly crushed and fermented in cement vats of 150 and 300 hectolitres.
The fermentation is classic and extended. The wine is kept in both vats and large oak barrels for ten months, then bottled in July. Appearance is deep cherry red. Nose is ripe fruit, rich and spicy. Palate is good solid red wine with pleasant tannins.

Sean O’Connor: this is a great everyday drinking French red wine. These are my favorite wines, easy drinking, interesting, but not too fancy or complex red wines that are from the old country. Its nice a dry, with some interesting fruit flavors and a good aroma. What I think I like most about this wine is the almost chalky dryness the grenache provides this blend. We might be stocking up at the Red Apple while this is still on sale.