2007 Cellier Val Durance Cotes du Luberon

HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM THE K&J SESSIONS! Our new year's resolution is to drink more wine. Okay, we drink a ton of wine, we just haven't kept up with writing about it. But we're here, ready to drink, and hope the red we've chosen will warm us against the sub-zero temps outside. The Benz building is all cinder block and concrete--we do not have the luxury of carpeting as an insulator. This is a fantastic place to be during the heat of the summer, but right about now we have our red wines to keep us warm. Onward!

TONIGHT'S WINE: 2007 CELLIER VAL DURANCE CUVEE PRESTIGE COTES DU LUBERON

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K: Happy New Year, J!

J: Ditto, Miz K.

K: I hate to start off the new blog of the new year bitching about something--but I'm kind of bummed that one of the wines in the running for tonight was a ranked Wine Spectator top 100 wine of 2009.

J: Yeah, it was ranked #57 with a score of 91.

K: Eh, what does Robert Parker know, anyway?

J:...we'll save it for next week.

K: Of course. There's so much wine we need to get to.

J: And it keeps coming in daily. It's really not a terrible problem to have, you know.

K: So let's talk about the scents. J?

J: I may be a little rusty. I have been drinking wine recently, but not really evaluating. I'm thinking a little toast? Raspberries?

K: I get the jammy raspberry. I also get a little graphite. There's a scent here that seems like an undertone to a perfume.

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FIRST SIP

J: This is going to be a problem child.

K: It has potential upfront--very berry--

J: But then it changes right away. Lots of tannin suddenly, lots of black pepper.

K: And then it's gone. This wine is a tease.

J: It's complicated for sure. I thought the heat of the pepper would burn off the longer it's open.

K: I don't know if i like it. I mean, I'm certainly not going to dump it out--i am here for the rest of the bottle--but it's working me over. I think the Grenache is what jumps out in front, it's what's juicy and fruity. It would be a great wine if that could hold on and develop into something else. But the sharp turn into black pepper and a blast--albeit temporary--of dryness just isn't winning me over.

J: The body of the wine reminds me of a Pinot Noir. It's like Grenache meets Petite Sirah.

K: I don't think there's any Petite Sirah in it, is there?

J: No, but if you clashed the two together, this is what i would expect it to be. It's just an average table wine. So, the big question is: would you recommend this to someone?

K: That's the million dollar question. It seems like we're not giving out enough information on this wine, but that's all there is to it, kids. It's simple and frustrating. I know you're supposed to drink a Cotes du Luberon young, so it's not like time and patience will make it better. It has softened a *tiny* bit, but it's been open for an hour and a half--who wants to wait that long for wine to be ready? Ugh.

J: I would recommend it to someone, but i would enforce that it needs all that time to become more round and soft. So it's a wine for people with patience.

K: I am exasperated.

J: (laughing) So no from you, huh?

K: It's not a terrible wine. Like you said, it's just table wine. I also don't have a point of refrence, as I've never had a Cotes du Luberon before. I guess I just don't have the patience for it. The last glass and a half I enjoyed. And if I had a medium-well steak, I'd be more okay with it.

J: With a pan sauce. Oooh.

K: Add some good earthy mushrooms to that pan sauce.

J: Why do we even have a wine blog if we just end up talking about food?