Further evidence that name and terrior are not everything, and you have to be careful when buying Bordeaux, lest you pay too much for a decent, but not stellar wine. Stopping by a local wine bar in Atlanta after jumping on a plane to address some client problems (I WILL NOT mix business with blog) I sampled a few of their upper end selections in the “hearty to full bodied” category, including this St. Estephe.

Tasting Notes:
Just the color your expect a nice Bordeaux to be, the soft ruby red of this wine is mirrored in its nose — not overpowering, but subtle berry flavors that honestly could be more refined but are pleasing nonetheless. On the tongue the wine displays a softness that makes it attractive, and the cherry and blueberry flavors come across with the brilliance of a claret, but seem to be one dimensional. The finish is long and slightly hot — more evidence that the wine is not well integrated.

Food Pairing:
This, like many of its ilk, is definitely a food friendly wine. I would be happy drinking it with roast duck or with veal in a red wine sauce.

Overall Score: 7.5

How Much?: Retails for $23

There are better ways to spend twenty bucks in Bordeaux. If you see it on a menu somewhere for $30 and are ordering some red meat, go for it, but if the markup is much more than that, as some restaurants are wont to do, give it a pass. I wouldn’t go out of my way to find it.