Worth Keeping Your Wine - Domaine de L'Arjolle Paradoxe 2010 red

In a former blog on this site for September 2013 I wrote the following about Domaine de L'Arjolle Paradoxe 2010 red:

"The Paradoxe 2010 a blend of Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Grenache. This dry red wine was full of fruit with a hint of vanilla and spice and was concentrated and complex with a long length on the palate. Even though it had 14% alcohol it did not taste hot and all of the elements of the wine where well integrated. It had a high level of tannin which will soften with keeping and I shall not drink the first bottle for at least a couple of years. The wine is of exceptional value for money at 16.5 Eur a bottle".

Well I didn't keep my own promise and drank the wine before 2015. I did, however, give away a bottle to a good friend who took my advice to keep the wine. We went to dinner at his place a couple of weeks ago and he opened his bottle. I couldn't see the label but recognised that this was superior wine and this was confirmed by my wife and our hosts. 

The wine had indeed improved enormously in the bottle;  it retained is full fruit flavour but the tannin had softened. The wine tasted superb and went down well with some beef. There is no doubt in my mind that this wine will probably improve more over the next year or so. At 16.5 Eur a bottle it represented tremendous value for money back in 2013: what more can I say. The quality of the wine reflected the love and dedication of the Domaine as applied in the vineyard and the wine making process.

So give three cheers for my wine tasting prowess.

Domaine D'Arjolle is based in Pouzolles in the Côtes-de-Thongue and not far from Péz
énas.

http://arjolle.com/en/news/