Chateau Puech Haut is in Saint-Drezery, a small village northeast of Montpellier. In Provence, a ‘Puech’ means a small hill. A ‘Puech Haut’ is a hill higher than the others. This wine comes from 60-70 year old vines and is a blend of 55% Grenache and 45% Syrah. Aged half in concrete and half in neutral barrel it is a special bottling made for Eric Solomon by Philippe Cambie for the US market.
This version of Puech-Haut is the new release of one of my value wines from last year. The 2010 Puech-Haut was spectacular and I was excited to try the new release.
Bright crimson red in color. 15% ABV. Red fruits, lavender, iodine and game on the nose. Great texture and mouthfeel. Still somewhat primary. Raspberry liqueur, licorice and cassis on the palate. Perfect balance and a long, lush finish. The wine should continue to evolve and improve with a few years in the cellar.
Simply a great wine for the price.
My rating: 91 points.
This wine is a tremendous value and you should be able to find it for about $17. I bought a half case and will likely end up going back for more.
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Thanks for the notes Tom. Always on the look out for good value wines! Where do you usually source this wine from?
James, I’ve been buying this at McCarthy & Schiering in Seattle. You’ll like this wine. Let me know if you pick some up.