Tasting: Gres St. Vincent Cotes du Rhone

Name: Gres St. Vincent Cotes du Rhone
Variety: Grenache and Syrah
Region: Rhones
Country: France
Year: 2012
Price: $13.95
Shop review: "From a unique, organic co-op in the Rhone valley, this delicious, Grenache-based blend delivers satisfying weight and earthiness but stays light on its feet.  Unlike many co-ops that blend growers' fruit into one wine, here each makes their own.  Though the blend is dominated by Grenache, the Syrah takes center stage on the nose, with classic notes of liquorice, black fruits, and a wonderful whiff of violets.  The tannins and acidity are in wonderful balance here, and on the palate the juicy, exuberant fruit from the Grenache takes over, building to a chocolate note on the finish.  A great example of the class and sophistication showing in the 2010 vintage, and of the wide range of great values available in the Southern Rhone." -Vintage Cellar, 2014
My review: Gres St. Vincent poured a ruby red in the glass.  The nose held pleasant notes of violets and red cherries.  The palate sensed flavors of black fruits and chocolates with hardly-detectable-to-barely-there-tannins and a smooth finish.
Food: I did not pair this wine with food.