2010 Goulee

(the label actually says "Goulee by Cos d'Estournel"; Michel Reybier owns both): Good full bright, dark red with ruby highlights. Quite reduced on the nose, offering musky scents of dark raspberry, smoked meat, black olive and earth. Then plush and generous in the mouth, with impressive density to the smoky flavors of raspberry, black cherry and black olive: like Saint-Estephe meets northern Rhone syrah. Finishes with substantial but ripe tongue-dusting tannins and serious persistence. A lot of wine for the price.

A blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot, this wine displays an opaque ruby/purple color and notes of damp earth, forest floor, white chocolate, sweet black currants and spice box. The wine is round, full-bodied and luscious, with 14.7% natural alcohol. Although meant for early consumption, it should easily last up to a decade or more. Goulee’s 2010 is another sleeper of the vintage from Michel Reybier, the proprietor of Cos d’Estournel.