Chateau Croix d'Aumedes Corbieres 2018

• Buy a case for $11.99 per bottle - Crushing the Best US Price online by $3!
• Buy six for $12.99 per
• All Else on Sale $13.99 - Still beating the Best US Price Online

97 pts Decanter Wine Awards

OK... I know what you're thinking... "97 pts? C'mon, Todd... no way..." Okay, so here's the setup... the wine was judged in a wine competition, the Decanter Asia Wine Awards, where the judges consist of Asia's top sommelliers and wine critics, including a slew of Masters of Wine and Master Sommelliers. These folks know what they are doing. Wines are grouped according to country, region, grapes, etc so they are judged against and among their peers. Within this context, the wines are rated. In events like this, you may see lesser priced wines score highly. Sometimes, it is because of a limited sample size against which they are judged. In this case, though, over 3,100 wines were judged, so the "talent pool" was deep and broad. And, these surprises happen because the judging is truly blind. "What, you mean when critics taste wines, it isn't blind?" Sometimes yes... many times no. When a critic visits a winery, which many of them do when tasting, they bring with them preconceived notions. And that can translate into the ratings. Here, the wines are tasted completely blind, other than knowing the region.

"Ok, but still... 97 pts? Really?

Well, consider that the La Grange Icone 2016, which sells for $31, was rated 93 pts in the Wine Advocate and 92 pts in the Decanter competition. Domaine l'Ostal Grand Vin 2016, which sells for $39, was rated 90 pts in the Wine Advocate... but just 86 pts in the Decanter tasting. And the Gerard Bertrand La Soujeole, retailing for $50 was rated 90 pts Wine Spectator and 91 pts in this judging. And on and on...

I'm more conservative, but I would say this wine easily merits a 90-93 pt rating. For the price? Ridiculous value. Buy it by the case.

Wonderfully enticing with bright red berries, wild flowers, herbs de Provence and Rhone-like garrigue accents. The palate is fresh with red fruits galore and flecks of rocky minerals. Soft and silky on the tongue, with a fine core of tannins and a long seamless finish that’s bright with just enough acidity, keeping things really well balanced. This Corbieres has that “err, where did that glass go?” drinkability. But with good weight and sneaky complexity, I bet it’ll age gracefully for at least another 5 years.

“The vast Corbières zone in the Languedoc contains a little bit of everything, from classic warmth and generosity on the outskirts of Narbonne to wild mountain wines in the hinterland and concentrated, stony wines up on the border with the Agly Valley and the Roussillon. In a way, this blend of Carignan (a great Corbières speciality) with Syrah and Grenache brings all three styles together: flowers and fruit in the billowing, sweet-scented aromas and both generous fruits and something more stony and driving in the finely constructed palate. The tannins are present but unintimidating, and the acidity is unobtrusive and ripe. So easy to drink that you almost overlook those complexities -- but they'll keep you coming back for more.” – 97 pts Decanter

Or reply. The wine is available now in Chapel Hill. Friday, as ordered, in Hillsborough.