Surprise package -- Raffault Picasse 04

If you are like me, you have times when you’ve forgotten you ordered wines months ago. The retailer will send out the wine now that it’s arrived and before shipping windows close. It’s irrational, but sometimes I will get mildly annoyed seeing these orders coming in: “Damn it. I don’t have anymore room to store this.” Or what was I thinking? – I don’t even drink Zinfandel anymore!"

That’s what happened when I got a shipping notice from Jeremy at Some Good Wine about a parcel of Olga Raffault Chinon 04s I had ordered months ago. First, I stressed about the FedEx cross-country death-march across the country and it being 80 degrees in L.A. lately. Then, my wife took order of the package after I promised her I was finally done with shipping season and she gave me a ton of grief. Then I thought why did I order so many bottles of this? – I don’t like musty, funky Cab Franc. I could almost smell the brett through the cardboard box.

But boy was I wrong.

You know how some wines just hit you right in the sweet spot, fight through your jaded palate and make you happy that you pursue this hobby. That’s how I felt when I opened up the half bottle with my tagine lunch today.

It’s got the pencil and green tobacco hallmark on the nose, and it’s super lively and balanced on the palate. Man this is fresh and delicious, with medium acidity and body. It’s got secondary qualities but the fruit just jumps out at you even with all the age. Kind of a sour raspberry/blackberry/soil flavor. It has some rustic notes on the back-end but is no way barnyardy or band-aidish. (Any kind of brett is a turnoff for me, so I’m always a bit anxious about opening older Rhone or Loire reds). It feels evolved but in no way advanced or decline. The color and fruit shimmer.

What a neat little bottle of aged wine … and under $20 for the 375. This strikes me as the kind of wine you’d pour a curious newbie-with-thoughts-of-becoming-a-wine-geek to see if he/she gets it. This isn’t a wine to bring to a tasting to impress someone. Rather, it’s an unfussy, excellently crafted wine that speaks of its place and doesn’t try to do much.
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Nice note Matthew. I’ve got a bunch of these but I’m letting them sleep. Really like these with 20+ years on ‘em, and sounds like this is one I can look forward to!!!

I loaded up on these after having a couple. For the price and being a 375ml that’s easy to pop one for yourself, it’s perfect.