Caladoc

When I blogged about the unusual Bulgarian wines with obscure grapes, little did I suspect that one of those little known beasts was bred in France and from well known parents. This is the case with Caladoc, which featured in a blend with the two Cabernets. The grape was bred in 1958 at the INRA by crossing Grenache and Malbec, in the hope of producing a grape suitable for growing in southern France, with reduced susceptibility to coulure. However, it is not permitted in any AOCs and Languedoc growers are trying it out in VdP blends. As a grape it shares many of the fruity and spicy aromas as its parents, and with high phenolic levels tend to produce tannic wines with deep colour. I shall look out for these features when I get to taste this wine.