We only have a few 2003 Bordeaux bottles left, as they have been showing well but also mature, and several have actually been a bit past peak. There’s not much worse in your cellar than a bottle, and a good bottle at that, which you let go a little too long. Actually letting one go much too long is far worse, and that is why the 2003 corks are popping. Here’s one that you could actually hang onto for a while, and still buy confidently, as it has some life left.
Here’s the wine:
Wine: 2003 Chateau Lagrange
Winery Location: Saint Julien, Bordeaux
Tasted By: Neil & Cheri Date: April 2014
Tasting Notes: – the wine is deep and dark purple with red at the rim. The color hints at some bottle age, with the red rims showing a definite brick hue. There’s lots of dark fruit on the nose, with plum, currant, licorice, oak and tar present. On the palate the wine is full bodied, with deep expressive flavors of dark fruit, complex herb and savory notes. This is still quite tannic, and it has life left in it. The finish is long and satisfying. This wine will be much more long lived than many of the 2003s we’ve opened. It’s really good and ready to drink now, but I wouldn’t worry about hanging onto it for another 3-5 years. A very good to excellent Bordeaux.
Price Point – It was about $30 as a future. Today it will cost you $50-$60.
Would We Buy It? – if it was still $30 then definitely. At $50-$60 the playing field is so open I would probably not. The potential in the 2009 and 2010 vintage beckons, and that’s where we’d spend that kind of money. Of course, we never spend that kind of money on a retail bottle. Well…..twice, but those were Grand Cru Burgundies and a steal on sale.
An excellent wine and we’re glad we bought it back in the day. I wish I had a few left. If you do want to try an excellent, mature Bordeaux this is one from 2003 still worth considering.
A votre sante!
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