Chateau La Clude Bordeaux 2003 Review by (billy)

Greetings readers! While i've not been posting for a while, I've been keeping copious notes on my tastings and they shall appear soon on the blog here.

This evening the fetching Mrs. Billy phoned to suggest that I pick up a bottle on the way home from work that the two of us might enjoy together. This typically means something rich, soft, red, and inexpensive (read - under $15).

While the Mrs. enjoys the old standbys that we've come to enjoy, I am always wanting to try something new. So there I was in the store looking at the spanish reds on sale (enticing but chancy), a very inexpensive Georges Duboeuf Merlot (from their "fleur" line), when I came across this wonderful little Bordeaux for $9.98.

Chateau La Clude 2003 (no typos there, it is "clude" not "claude") is from just outside the city of Bordeaux in, yeah, Bordeaux. Other than that, I could really not find much more about the wine that didn't come from inside the bottle. But Oh, what a bottle. It was a hit with both the fetching Mrs. and me.

We decanted the bottle to speed up the air time and we were not displeased that we did.

Eyes: Cheery Cherry-Plumb with only the slightest tints of maturity around the edge.
Nose: Rich round earthy currant, delicate ripe plumb with underlayers of pepper, anise, and allspice. Heady caramel creme rounds out the nose. And what a nose it is! This is a wine you can enjoy just by inhaling deeply.
Palate: supple. decent structure though it could be a touch more dry to properly balance the acid's ever so slight bite. Goes down easily and without pretense.
Finish: lingering crisp like a tart apple but with the spicy headiness of the nose's currant and plumb.

All in all, a fantastic way to spend $10 and an evening with someone you love.

Raise a glass!