57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc, 1 %Petit Verdot
A generous nose right from the start; dark berries dominate, traces of pencil shavings, cigar box and a certain toastiness.
It comes together nicely; nice sleek mouthfeel with some weight to it and firm tannins at the back. Flavors are layered, complex and follow the aroma profile.
With time, my feeling is, it brought out more ripe fruit on the palate and more complexity in the nose.
I'm a novice French wine drinker, so I'm not sure of the QPR at $24 but we enjoyed this wine.
I actually preferred drinking this on its own than I did paired with New York strip steak.
"A sleeper of the vintage, the 2003 possesses a dense plum/purple color, a rich, sumptuous perfume of roasted nuts, cedar, figs, plums, and black currants, medium to full body, silky tannin, low acidity, and a lush, hedonistic, sensual personality. It should drink well for a decade." - Rated 90, Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, May/Jun 05
Rated: 88
Medium-deep red. Roasted currant, leather and tobacco on the expressive nose. Smooth and silky on the palate, with noteworthy concentration and a lovely core of sweetness supported by firm structure. The berry, mineral and lead pencil flavors are generous and expressive. In the hot, dry summer of 2003, this chateau obviously benefited from the substantial clay content of its soil. This was bottled in March.
It offers luscious kirsch liqueur notes intermixed with hints of blackberries, underbrush, and spice box. It possesses good density, a voluminous, chewy mouthfeel, and a long finish. Drink it over the next 10-12 years.
