Domaine de la Pepière 2006 "Cuvée Granit" Vin de Pays du Jardin de la France Marches de Bretagne

The Cuvee Granit is named after the high concentration of granite in the soils from which the grapes were grown in the Muscadet region of France. It is a blend of Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Merlot. The Domaine de la Pepire is deep cherry red in color and is fairly opaque. The nose is massive, complex, and oh so old school. I picked up cranberry and savory notes of marinara sauce, jalapeno pepper, basil, truffle oil, and smoke. The fruit takes over a bit more on the flavor profile. Strawberry really hits you on the front end and transitions into more tangy cranberry and rhubarb pie into the finish. I also got hints maple syrup and something resembling a green Indian chutney! I love how the wine-maker didn’t need to rely on the use of oak to bring out those interesting secondary flavors. The granit doesn’t have a massive body or crazy complex flavor profile but it more than makes up for it with charisma, originality, and vibrancy. I think this would pair well with a lot of different vegetarian foods. It’s got the acidity and subtle tannic backbone to cut through the vinegar in a bean-based or pasta salad.