Happy Saturday! I admit I slept in this morning as I was up late last night doing some volunteer cooking, so I took it easy today and did some random chores, grocery shopping and then decided to relax with a cocktail before dinner. Tonight, I've decided on a different dinner, and that calls for a different wine, so I've opened a bottle of 2016 Château de Lafaurie-Monbadon Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux that I recently bought from Wines Till Sold Out. This wine is a classic Bordeaux, a blend of Merlot (70%), Cabernet Sauvignon (15%) and Cabernet Franc (15%). So, let's see how this wine is shaping up!
The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, just as you'd expect from such a Merlot heavy blend. A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of blackberry, cherry and cassis with undertones of violets and a hint of aged leather. The first sip is a surprising rush of tart cherry that quickly gives way to some sweet blackberry and raspberry, before transitioning to some earthy notes of cedar and dusty limestone midpalate. The tannins are still a bit tight, providing for a very sharp dry finish.
Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a very easy drinking and food friendly Bordeaux that was also a solid value at less than $14. This wine would pair well with a variety of hearty dishes, from steaks and chops, to braised lamb shank, rich baked pasta to country barbecue. Tonight, I am once again taking the road less traveled and enjoying this wine with a Japanese style stir fry. Given the tight grocery budgets we are all facing, I decided to marinade some sliced chuckeye steak (if you are unfamiliar it's very flavorful and usually around $5-6 a pound) in some Bachan's Japanese Barbecue sauce, then christened my Hexclad wok and stir fried with some fresh veggies, served over white rice. Cheers!
No comments:
Post a Comment