Borie De Maurel Esprit d'Automne Minervois 2005

This red from Minervois, is a blend of Carignan and Syrah, and is the entry level red for Borie De Maurel. On the bouquet initially was a deep puree of berries and spices, which opened gradually to reveal pepper, vanilla, caramel and cumin. Palate wise it was silky soft, all the way through, with a lovely soft silky-powdery mouth- feel. Towards the end it changed and became dark and broody, with smoke and spices, and very dry and savoury. This wine was superb for an entry level wine, with a great balance between complexity and simplicity. It was a pleasure to drink, and a great bargain at around $15. For me this has to be the red of the year so far, and cannot wait to try more wines from this producer.
50+4+13+18+8 = 93/100

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