Domaine Etxegaraya Irouléguy

60% Tannat, 40% Cabernet Franc. Slow ox'd an hour before serving. The nose shows a mix of red berries, florals & herbs. Beautifully complex aromatics. Much darker berry notes emerge on the palate along with a minty note like this is an old Napa or Aussie Cab. Bright cherry lines the mid palate. Definitely tannic & needs some food to get maximum enjoyment which we found w/simple spaghetti & meatballs. Would definitely buy this again.

Rustic, earthy, dark fruit, slight Brett, hay. Good acidity, light tannins. Short finish.

I was as thrilled as anyone (duh) that Kermit Lynch started to bring this domaine back into the U.S., and I verily leapt at the chance to buy the latest vintage of this, Etxegaraya's basic cuvée. I have no idea what has gone on in the three years since Lynch last imported these wines, but now, this wine has a natural cork (I believe it was normacork before), and the wine itself seems more stern and serious than in earlier …