Haut-Médoc Red Bordeaux Blend

Beautiful. Typical Bordeaux aroma, dry, mid acidity, soft tannins, little bitterness. Not so much Oaky, relatively austere. Abv13.5%

Saturday night had a dual mission: to find a world class steak and to have a great catch-up with a couple of old friends. We're in Manhattan. Mission: Utterly Probable.

We headed to the Bowery Meat Company, which has become a regular fixture on various Best New York Steakhouses lists. The knowledgeable server brought us a fine array of steaks, explained some of the more unusual cuts and provided useful advice on the selection. The 40oz T-Bone Florentine was our table's centerpiece and delicious. Goal #1, done.

One of the strengths of the Bowery Meat Company is its extensive, well chosen wine list. It also allows corkage ($40/bottle, max 2). I brought along this excellent 2009 Sociando-Mallet, possibly the best value wine in Bordeaux. Pure Old World charm with lashings of leather, tar and dark fruits. Plenty of complexity and drinking beautifully. The bottle drained quickly with plenty of laughs and anecdotes. Goal #2, done.

One beautiful Haut-Medoc ! I'm not a huge Bordeaux fan but this one could make me up with them !

Cru Bourgeois Haut- Medoc; drunk at Montrachet restaurant; fair cabernet dominated blend on nose and palate, grainy tannin not plush yet now soft; old school without generosity; little oak showing so austere; 55% cabernet, 45% merlot, 5% franc; 13.5%, AUD 63

Dark and chewy; shows the cab franc a lot right now. I expect it to settle down in a few more years.

Opens up very slowly, keeping a very youthful appearance. Shy black currant leaf, fresh black currants, a bit tobacco leaf, a smoky, earthy note, a faint whiff of orange peel. All interwoven, subtle, and yet, a bit underwhelming.
The wow happens on the palate - smooth and so polished… more silk than velvet.
Cool black currant, a touch of 100% cocoa chocolate, a bit of espresso savouriness
Not really rich nor broad… but the precision & depth are amazing. Harmonious, self assured, elegant. A finish that goes on forever
If only the nose would be as magical as the palate - what a grand wine this would be

Inky purple. Subtle blue fruit and pencil lead predominant on the nose. Shockingly soft tannins and surprising acidity. Way softer and more approachable than anticipated. This exceeded expectations.

2009

The Bordeaux expression as we like to taste it unpretentious but with a lot of relief. Dark dress. Multidimensional rich nose. Soft mouth carried by unexpected aromas of fennel, plus aromas of blackcurrant, plum, undergrowth, oak, tobacco, very Bordeaux. Affordable and balanced. A classic

L’expression bordelaise comme on aime la goûter sans prétention mais avec beaucoup de relief. Robe sombre. Nez riche multidimensionnel. Bouche souple portée par des arômes inattendus de fenouil, plus des arômes cassis, prune, sous-bois, chêne, tabac, très bordelais. Abordable et équilibré. Un classique.

Probably my favorite non grand cru left bank wine. The nose is made of tar, black currant, meat juice, cedar, cigar... This is very complex and intoxicating. The palate is, as always, very well made. Superb acid frame that's like a matrix on which every every other element will come into place. Great width, silky mouthfeel, superb black currant shining along, a massive, spherical mid palate with tannins that started to integrate, but sitll leaving a good drying layer, and a very long black currant, meat juice finish that lasts for ages. What a wine... More of that please!