2009 Domaine des Cassagnoles

Me, my wife and the in-laws were hanging around Austin spending a day walking around the city. Somehow the notion of going and tasting wine came up, so we headed to the only place I know of that usually has tastings on Saturdays, Austin Wine Merchant. Every saturday they have a tasting of new products($5-$20 price range) and I always hav luck finding a lower price gem in each tasting. In this last trip, the Domaine des Cassagnoles was that gem. Not complex by any means, this wine,chilled brought to the palate high acidity and minerality allowing the wine the versatility to be paired with almost any food. The grapes that compose this wine are unique, ugni blanc and colombard, and usually go into making cognac and not still wines.


2009 Domaine des Cassagnoles, Colombard/Ugni Blanc, Gascony (France)
Color: Very pale, clear, yellow.
Nose: Lemon-Lime, melon, faint floral notes of honeysuckle. Hints of minerality. Good upfront fruit on the nose.
Taste: Heavy sour kiwi flavors and melon throughout the midpalate. Crushed rock with metallic flavors hit the cheeks, finishes clean.
Acidity: High.
Density: Light bodied.
Finish: Medium, 20 seconds.
Alcohol: 12%
Notes: Hits up front with good fruit flavors that are razor sharp, finishes with earthy mineral, crushed rock grit, and steel notes. Tails off quickly and upfront fruit doesn't transition to the
finish. Great acidity makes fruit flavors beam through. Wine should pair well with any light fare. A food lovers dream wine at a great price. Serve chilled.
Rating: 88 (RP-86) $8.75