Mas de la Dame les Baux-de-Provence Coin Caché 2007

/ We have a special fondness for Mas de la Dame (with a facade immortalized by Van Gogh) owned by two great sisters, Madame Misoffe and Madame Poniatowski. At Mas de la Dame all the wines are made in bio-culture, meaning organic, and are expressive and complex. Mas de la Dame is known for Rose and red wines made in small batches of sensuous taste and names, such as le vallon des amants (the lovers' valley) and a coin cache (hidden corner), the latter being a top wine that we always have on hand.

Coin Cache Rouge 2005 - 90 Points, Wine Spectator/ I was in Los Angeles for my mother's 80th birthday last week, and we celebrated the evening at Chateau Marmont, one of my favorite places on earth. We had a small dinner party outside in the courtyard. I asked my friend Nat Gunter, wine buyer and assistant restaurant manager of Chateau Marmont, to pick out something that wouldn't break the bank but would be exciting. He chose this excellent Grenache-based red from Provence, for $60 on the wine list. I didn't know what the red was when he served it in a decanter at the table. The aromas of strawberries and spices, with hints of tea, gave away that it came from excellent Grenache. When I later checked the winery's website, I discovered that the Coin Caché is made primarily of old-vine Grenache that is picked late and aged 15 months in oak casks. Apparently the Grenache is buttressed with some Syrah, but the former comes out the most on the nose and palate. I guess the Syrah gives some color and freshness to the wine. Anyway, Mas de la Dame's top red was like a baby Château Rayas (one of Châteauneuf-du-Pape's famed estates) with its beautiful, exotic, slightly rustic fruit, along with the fine tannins and fresh acidity. Four of us went through two bottles with little problem (two designated drivers didn't drink). I scored it 90 points, non-blind..”

Quarterly Review in Wines/ We have a special fondness for Mas de la Dame (with a facade immortalized by Van Gogh) owned by two great sisters, Madame Misoffe and Madame Poniatowski. At Mas de la Dame all the wines are made in bio-culture, meaning organic, and are expressive and complex. The winery and tasting room in the plain looking up to Les Baux is a recommended stop. Mas de la Dame is known for Rose and red wines made in small batches of sensuous taste and names, such as Coin Cache (hidden corner), a top wine that we have always have on hand.

*Mas de la Dame Multi-Review Flier - Recommended Winery, Wine Enthusiast/ Rich and ripe- nearly over the top in ripeness- this is a luscious blend of 90% Grenache and 10% Syrah matured in old foudres. Without any appreciable oak, what shines are the super-ripe Grenache flavors of black cherries and cola and the soft plush tannins. A concentrated, long finish.