Downton Abbey Claret

 I have not done a wine review in a while, but when I saw this on the shelf, it had to be done. So, the husband and I opened this up on Sunday night to watch Masterpiece Classic, which is not showing Downton Abbey but rather Indian Summers. We did an official tasting using the WSET Guidelines.

"Claret" is what the British call "Bordeaux," a blend of mostly cabernet and merlot grapes that grow in the Bordeaux region of France. The only reason I can give for this perpetual disparity is centuries of rivalry. But, after tasting the wine, the "Bordeaux' portion of this wine label should lobby to be removed.

Upon first whiff, there was absolutely no odor.  When pushed for a descriptor, the word "petrol" comes to mind.  The wine was extremely dry, full bodied, highly tannic with only medium acid, and had a short finish. There seemed to be no accentuating flavors. The husband declared it "flat as a pancake," and "not offensive, just bland," like the British Aristocracy.