Babic Reserve

2013 Vintage- This is made from the Babić grape in Croatia.  At a recent tasting of Croatian wines the rusticity of this wine made it controversial.  I loved it!  purple at its core with a ruby edge, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has a lot of barnyard going on that will be hard for some people to get by.  The cause is Brettonmyces, which is a spoilage yeast.  Depending on how the yeast has bloomed in a particular bottle, some will show more (or less) signs of it.  There is also some cherry notes along with a crushed rock quality.  On the palate, the barnyard is not as in your face.  It is a delicious and complex wine.  One harkens back to the Chateaneufs of yesteryear with the animal/fruit mixture.  Lots of black cherry fruit over a bed of crushed slate.  Good acidity.  Long finish.  This probably works better with food than on its own.  Stews and cassoulets are a great match.  At age 7 it seems like it is at peak but should be able to another seven to ten years.