Demure Chinon

The 2004 Domaine Razon Chinon "Cuvée Alexandre" is a demure and subtle Cabernet Franc. Coming from the siliceous soil of Chinon, the palate nonetheless carries a whiff of slate, along with raspberries, cassis and hen of the wood mushrooms. With a mouthfeel reminiscent of Gamay, and a slight but determinative tannic structure, this is an engaging, slender wine which one can imagine enjoying at the Bistrot table. With notes of baking spices, most especially nutmeg, and a nose of candied violets and lilac, this is a wine one can see enjoying with a rich chicken dish, or even a white-meat game like quail. Not destined to please the American palate, this is all the same a delightful wine, which piques my interest in making further incursions into the world of Touraine reds.

Last night's 2005 Infinitus Viura/Chardonnay from Tierra de Castilla was perhaps a less pleasing choice, but its pairing of convenience with a selection of raw and deep-fried maki was an ill-considered match, and it certainly showed better before being paired with the sushi CP and I ordered for dinner. After a selection of rolls, its palate was reminescent of nothing so much as ice water with lemon, but on its own it had a subtle bouquet of lemon curd, a slight oxidized quality I associate with Viura, and a light but refeshing acidity which was subsequentky overpowered by the fish and soy sauce. In an ideal world, we would have enjoyed a fragrant off dry wine with our dinner, but such is the curse of the limited cellar.