Well, it's Sunday and I've spent the day lounging around the house as it's been snowing much of the day, but that's okay, since sometimes you just need a day to relax. And with relaxation often comes a bit of wine and tonight I've opened a bottle that I picked up at Costco yesterday, the 2016 Château Sénéjac Haut-Médoc. Now when I first learned to love red wine it was in Paris, where I was working for three weeks, and the office receptionist was kind enough to give me a primer on Bordeaux and the subtleties of each type (surely I had to get some Margaux, as that was the best, but don't forget the Saint-Emilion, Saint-Estephe and Pomerol!). I still have a bottle of '86 Margaux that I brought back from that trip amidst the case of wine I carried back on the plane. But when I got home I really fell in love with some nice Haut-Médoc wines, likely due to their reliance on Cabernet in the blend. This particular wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (51%), Merlot (36%), Cabernet Franc (9%) and Petit Verdot (4%), so let's see how this is shaping up!
The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, classic coloration for the Cabernet heavy blend. The nose is a refreshing breath of fresh Gironde left-bank air, with aromas of leather, cherry and blackberry with hints of toasted vanilla over the top. The taste is a rush of ripe red fruit, cherry, currant and cassis that transitions nicely to some earthy aromas of dusty limestone and smoke midpalate. The silky smooth tannins provide the ideal base for a classically dry Bordeaux finish that is at once elegant and muscular.
Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's been some time since I've been able to enjoy a nice Bordeaux, and at just $17, this was also a solid value. This wine would pair well with a broad range of dishes, from pasta to steak, lamb to seafood, or just sipping with friends and family. Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a lemon pepper wild Alaskan salmon filet along with a Meyer lemon and dill cream sauce, some oven roasted purple carrots and jasmine rice. Cheers!
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