Château des Mille Anges Petit Santal Saint Germain De Graves`02 $9.99 ***

This wine gave me something to crow about.  First of all, it was deliciously juicy and fruity forward with a long saturated finish (stewed strawberries with background of dried cherry), very little tannin and for an `02, it was just juicy and beautiful.  As the intense finish disappeared, it had the hint of being a little long in the tooth, but all in all, if JPH goes back to Coves Discount and gets us six more bottles, I can guarantee that they will be finished by mid-January (and that's NOT a hint).

We played "Guess the Varietal".  I may have done a little Scooby Dance in my chair I was so happy that I was able to identify a couple of the varietals at least.  When I first looked up the blend, I got 3 of four.  I got Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc (I am still convinced that there is Petit Verdot in there) but all of my research says that it is predominantly Merlot.  The producer Château des Mille Anges's website says: Merlot 60%, Cabernet Sauvignon 20% and Cabernet Franc 20%. But it did not have specific tasting notes for the `02, so I am going to cling to my Petit Verdot theory (and my Scooby Dance).  The website doesn't have much more about the production of this wine.  I won't fault them for it.  It is a nice little gem that we enjoyed, and it didn't break the bank.  Win/Win in my book.

At 13% ETOH, it is robust, smooth and easy to drink.  It is great, and much smoother and more elegant than some other blends that we have had in this price range.  It is a typical French table wine, and well, also a great example of why French wine has the reputation that it has.  It was that good. 

The Château des Mille Anges Petit Santal Saint Germain De Graves (or as JPH called it the "thousand Angels Wine") paired really well with tonight's dinner:  Chicken and Parsley Pie from The National Trust Farmhouse Cookbook.  Good comfort food, using the blackbird pie funnel that I brought back from London.