Tuesday Night Wine - A review of Le Jaja de Jau Syrah, 2007, France

Tuesday night (especially with the weather being unpredictable at best) always has me snuffling around like a truffle hound for something inexpensive and nice to pair with whatever homey thing I am dishing up.  I received this Syrah as a sample from Pasternak Imports, however had I been in a wine store, the fun label and $9.00 price tag certainly would have had me at hello. 

"Jaja" is colloquial French for casual, easy drinking wines according to the label, which also suggested the bottle should be served chilled with substantial fare.  Check and check, as with winter temps, the whole house is a refrigerator.  I let the wine breathe while I whipped up a quick whole wheat pasta with vegetables. 

Then sat  down to try it.  Le jaja de Jau, Vin de pays d'oc, 2007 France.  In the glass it was purple and somewhat opaque.  Aromas of blackberries, grape jelly and slight hint of warm earth.  The wine has a nice mouthfeel and very light tannins.  More blackberry on the finish.  Definitely a little food slutty as the pasta brought out more more earth and less berry, but it clashed a little with the broccoli and I wished I had gone for the rotisserie chicken instead.

Made by a woman winemaker, Estelle Daure, I found it to be a perfect Tuesday night wine.  I think I had almost as fun drinking it as she did.