Gerard Bertrand Grand Terroir Tautavel – The Ugly Duckling That Turns Into A Swan

50% Grenache, 35% Syrah and 15% Carignan from Cotes du Roussillon Villages Tautavel, Languedoc-Roussillon, France.

SRP of $19 and purchased for $14.

From the bottle:

“An acknowledged ambassador of the Mediterranean lifestyle and owner of some of the region’s finest estates. Gerard Bertrand is convinced of the uniqueness and high quality of its different terroirs classified as AOC’s.

The most ancient presence of mankind in Europe was in the amazingly beautiful and preserved landscapes of the Tautavel Appellation in the south of France. Wines have been made there since ancient times and their style is truly unique.

Beautiful red color. Elegant notes of fresh fruit (blackcurrant, blackberries) and soft spices. Aromas of wild herbs and leather. Full-bodied, with soft and round tanins. Long finish. Best served at 60F with roasted peppers, pork and Italian meats.

14.0% Alcohol”

I have to admit that this wine really threw me for a loop. You’ll often hear me recommend letting a wine breathe before drinking it, as many times this helps the wine to open up, but rarely if ever have I tried a wine that was almost undrinkable upon first opening that then transformed as much as this wine did in just a couple hours. And when I say undrinkable, I mean it…it smelled and tasted bad. I came very close to pouring it right down the drain, but as is my normal custom, I poured a glass and let it sit for awhile. When I returned I was shocked to find this ugly duckling had become a beautiful bottle of wine!

After a couple hours to breathe, the 2007 Gerard Bertrand Grand Terroir Tautavel presents a very nice aroma of ripe, dark fruit, licorice and a little dark chocolate. Tasting the wine reveals lots of rich fruit with a spicy backbone that extends all the way into the finish. Black cherry, black raspberry and blueberry make up the fruit, but there’s also some nice licorice and dried herbs. Fine tannins and a dry, long finish of tart fruit and lingering coffee notes round this one out. The ugly duckling turns into a swan!

See a listing of local retailers selling this wine here.

Find out more about my rating system and check out the Wine Ranking to find all my reviews! You can sort by type of wine, cost, rating, etc. in the interactive database.

Like The Reverse Wine Snob on Facebook and add our page to your circles on Google+!