TN: Not from Bolivia

Gendrier “Domaine des Huards” 2002 Cour-Cheverny (Loire) – Intense to the point of mild shock, though identifying the source of the intensity is less easy; there’s a vivid red apple component that leans into the realm of iron, an oxidative facet that expresses itself more like some sort of fruit-based wax, an ultimately dominant days-gone-by aspect, and a lot of sheer, planar minerality. What does that all add up to? I have no idea, but the wine’s really good. (5/06)

Cour-Cheverny is made from romorantin, a grape that is virtually unknown outside the appellation. (Actually, as far as I know, it is unknown outside the appellation, but I know as soon as I assert that someone will come up with an hectare in Bolivia or something.) I’m assured that these wines age nicely, though to be frank the bad versions are never worth saving, and the good versions are so evocative and unique that they rarely escape my inquisitive corkscrew for very long. Alcohol: 12.5%. Closure: cork. Importer: Jon-David Headrick. Web: http://www.gendrier.com/.