Penicillin

Château du Roquefort (a/k/a Domaine du Roquefort) 2006 Vin de Pays des Bouches du Rhône “Gueule de Loup” (Provence) – A blend of grenache, the cabernets, and merlot. At a cost of a few dollars, this would be fine: basic fruit, basic structure…the kind of wine one un-jugs and sloshes at a picnic, or in front of the kitchen TV. It’s more than that, and as a result it’s less than that. I don’t see what cabernets and merlot add to grenache, and I don’t see the reverse either. (6/10)

Pays day

Domaine de Roquefort “Gueule de Loup” 2005 Vin de Pays des Bouches du Rhône (Provence) – Crisp apple acidity under meat bubblegum, which gives some clues to the cépage. The fruit seems light when this wine is utilized as a cocktail, but food energizes it, and stronger-willed characteristics add their harmonies. Simple, but quite nice. (10/07)