AUTHOR: Dave McIntyre TITLE: A Bargain Charmer DATE: 2/06/2008 02:56:00 PM ----- BODY:

These days, it’s hard to get excited about a $7 bottle of wine. Too many are pleasant enough, but simple and, ultimately boring. So it’s a pleasure to discover one that’s a real gem - with enough verve and energy to interest even the most jaded oenophiliac. The Domaine des Hospices de Canet 2005, a “simple country wine” - or vin de pays - from the Cotes Catalanes in the Languedoc-Rousillon region of southwestern France, is one such find. A blend of 60% Carignane, with the rest split evenly among Syrah and Merlot, the wine is like a softened version of a Cote du Rhone. Juicy, grapey and fun, it still has enough structure and grip to keep it interesting. The winery is owned by Domaine Cazes, one of the largest, if not the largest, producer of biodynamic wines in France. Biodynamic is beyond organic - farming is conducted according to the phases of the moon and some bizarre rituals sanctioned by a German organization called Demeter. The Domaine des Hospices de Canet is not certified biodynamic, but the farming practices are essentially the same. So what you have here is an inexpensive charmer that is ideal for simpler foods such as charcuterie, cheeses, burgers, pizza, even stir-fries - in other words, a weeknight dinner at home. And it’s organic, to boot. I’m going back for a case. Currently, the Domaine des Hospices de Canet is available in the DC region only at Cleveland Park Wines on Connecticut Ave NW, across the street from the Uptown Theater. But it can be ordered by any store in the DC, MD and VA markets through Country Vintner.

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