Domaine de la Janasse, Vin de Pays de la Principante d'Orange, 2000, France

The premiere vintage of this wine is produced in one of the oldest French appellations, by the Domaine de la Janasse estate. It is a blend of syrah and merlot grapes and is an amazing value. It is a rich and smooth wine that exudes character. The spice of the syrah compliments the merlot's velvety nature. Personally I think this wine works better with food than alone, and also needs a bit of time to open up. We drank this most recently with Coq Au Vin. Since Coq Au Vin is a rustic, very flavorful dish it went very well with an equally rustic and full flavored wine that offered the richness this dish deserves.