Chateau Desmirail, 2003 vintage

Chateau Desmirail, 2003 vintage, $24.99 (suggested price $60)

This is the first “classified growth” we have tasted from Bordeaux in quite a while and it is a real winner. The Lurton family, who control dozens of chateaux across the region, owns the estate. The grapes are all harvested and sorted on the chateaux by hand while the vinification process involves a combination of stainless steel and wood barrels.

Many Margaux are described as being like an iron fist in a velvet glove due to their combination of delicate elegance and potential power. This wine displays this quality largely due to the balance between the fully ripe Cabernet Sauvignon (67%) and Merlot (33%) grapes that went in to it. The initial aroma is fresh and elegant with good amounts of earth, cedar, and leather overtones. There are also some suggestions of florals in the nose. We decanted the wine to accelerate oxidization and found terrifically full wild strawberry fruit overtones with excellent balance and well integrated tannins that did not distract the taster from the velvety smoothness of the mouth feel.

With six years already in it’s development we felt the wine will likely keep nicely for another three to five but is drinking extremely well now. It would match beautifully with a steak au poivre or a rich and simply seasoned filet mignon.