Capaia Blue Grove Hill

Blind note: Well made wine from a warm place. Good balance, some pedigree, small oak, small tannins, mature and long. Claretal inspiration. Knowing the restaurateur, I could not even begin to guess any specificity of the wine, since Hasegawa-sensei always serves incredibly obscure bottles. Commentary: thankfully lacking the "SA overtones" too often found in SA wines. The first vaguely normal wine 長谷川先生 has served to date. (AS: 91p) (神保町傳,*)

Caroline Wine Shop - Capaia versus Right Bank Bordeaux (Carolines Wine Shop) : Medium to deep ruby colour with aromas of cherry, smoke, some iodine but also a touch of volatility, acetone, and a medicinal character. The wine lacks intensity and feels somewhat sinewy on the palate. It comes across as rather bland and disjointed, with blocky tannins. On a positive note, a pleasant black pepper and herbal twist is helped along by a fresh acidity.