Chateau La Grave a Pomerol 2003

Chateau La Grave a Pomerol 2003 (WS92, $73.99, SKU 789131) This was one of the recent re-release of vintage Bordeaux wines at the LDB store. I had my eyes on it since the 2004 and 2005 vintages were very sought after. This was a right bank wine from the Pomerol region, so the wine had more Merlot than Cabernet Sauvignon. 2003 was a very good vintage and Wine Spectator said it should be ready after 2009.

 

I finally decided to get a bottle on Dec. 14, 2012. When I paid for it, it scanned out at $55. I checked the bar code and description and it was the correct wine. So I sent all of you an e-mail that evening. One friend managed to get six bottles of this the next day at the lower price. But when I went to the LDB store, they had already corrected their “mistake” by using a felt pen to cross out the bar code. When they entered the SKU, it indicated a  price of $73.99.

 

In any case, I opened it tonight in the decanter for an hour and drank it while having some  Greek food (lamb shoulder and chicken). The aroma filled the room when the wine was being decanted. The color was slightly brown, consistent with the age of the wine. It was very smooth in the mouth and the fruit was pleasant. Since there was more Merlot, the tannins are not as pronounced and would be easily appreciated by novice drinkers. One tasting panel member found it had a caramel nose. It was a very easy drinking wine and easy to enjoy. I would say this wine is at its prime and should be enjoyed now. At $73.99, it is a little pricy but still a good effort from a good vintage. This would definitely be a great Christmas present. There are still 3 cases at the 39^th and Cambie store.