~$15US, 60% Merlot / 20% Cab Sauv / 20% Cab Franc, Côtes de Castillon, Bordeaux, France

Ruby-garnet color. Shy nose, with some black cherry and plum. A little mildew/seaweed earthiness in the mix to - but not detracting. Juicy palate - with a soft approach supported by some fine tannins. An attractive sweetness towards the finish. Quite drinkable now, and probably for the next 3 years.

A solid wine that opened up nicely over the course of 2 days. I can’t complain, and I can’t find many faults for a Bordeaux in this price range. Quality Cotes de Castillon - but for me, many other $15 wines have left a stronger impression on me.

~$22US, Haut-Medoc, Bordeaux, France

2005 in Bordeaux is apparently the-vintage-of-all-time-best-ever-cuz-its-got-the-cures-etc, according to those who know about that sort of thing. I don’t drink too much Bordeaux, so when I saw this, I figures I’d see what the hoopla was about before dropping dime on something bigger to keep for our wedding anniversaries. This is a left-bank Cru Bourgeois, I’m guessing primarily Cabernet Sauvignon, with tad of Merlot and Cab Franc as well. The shop said to give this plenty of air, so I did - it starting putting itself together with 4-5 hours of decanting. Funny thing - it was still improving @ the 8 hour point. Wow.

The color, deep garnet. A rich and opulent nose, with blackberries, red currant, some leather. A tiny bit of grass and earth present, but none of the bell-pepper notes that turn me off with cabernets. Just fantastic in the mouth; velvety, but medium-bodied - lighter than the nose let on. The palate transitioned from ripe black fruit and tobacco, towards a balanced acidity, all held together with fine but firm tannins. Great dry finish, with notes of glycerin and cedar. Masterfully oaked, just a hint of sweetness on the backend showing that this probably saw very little new wood.

Overall, this was a simply a delicious wine and a strong value @ 22 bucks. It offered great elegance for the price, and surprised me with the acidity and structure that make this super-red-meat-friendly. It did not overpower with any 1 aspect, and came together just right with air. This has enough fruit and structure to live a long life in the bottle. I’d love to forget about a bottle of this for 5-7 years and see what dimensions it takes one. Kudos winemaker, I think I could like Bordeaux after all.