As I more fully populate the HSC column with entries for the
various wines on the list, I note a lack of the white spaces in my Excel file
that denotes which are still awaiting entries for the blog. Some of the names
on that list won’t ever be getting HSC articles, unless I change the dollar
criteria, as several are over $20/bottle and seemingly never go on SPA. Some I
can no longer find, meaning those winds are now lost to time and live on only
in memory. It seems ill-fitting to memorialize them in a way promoting their
value and goodness when most of the populace will find it difficult at best to
experience it themselves. No, we once more into the fray to find every
increasing names for the list and where else to turn but dear old beloved
France, where it all started, more or less, for the HSC and where most of the
40s for the HSC have been spent.
Here we have a relative newcomer to the shelves in that
section - as a side note, Petite Sirene is the French
translation of “Little Mermaid” - though here, it is a blend of Cabernet
Sauvignon and Merlot, done in the Bordeaux style, one of my historical
favorites. Prior to the HSC, I probably consumed more of that than any other
type and maybe more than the other types combined. With this as a blend, there
is a very nice amalgamation of the bold and assertive taste of the Cab,
tempered with the more fruity, bouncy and lighter aspect of the Merlot. There
is little to no astringency here, yet the balance is fantastic on all fronts,
no heavy mouth feel, yet it is solid enough to be just the right amount of
heft. Truly remarkable job mixing these and with the heavy dose of Cab, could
probably take being stored for a bit.
This immediately catapulted to one of my favorite wines and if
you’re not familiar with French wines and want a safe entry point for not a lot
of money, this is a very good bet as it shows at once both the very strong
points of that world, the Bordeaux style and what blends can be capable of.
With this kind of a value, even though this is on the higher side of the price
point for this list, this really couldn’t be anything other than a Standard.
