Chteau Cadillac Lesgourgues Bordeaux Suprieur 2003 (Wine)
Wine Messenger Rating : 91+ Country : France Region : Bordeaux Grape : Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon Alcohol : 12% Description : Our favorite Bordeaux Suprieur from one of the oldest properties in all of Bordeaux. Release Notes : The 2003 vintage produced many high-quality wines in Bordeaux. However, because of the extreme heat, it was a difficult vintage and there are some irregular wines. The best wines come from the northern Medoc (St. Julien), St. Emilion and Fronsac. Sandwiched between the legendary 2000 and 2005 vintages, 2003 is a buyer's vintage - the prices are very reasonable and the wines are made for drinking young. The yields at Chateau Cadillac are limited to a level far below most Bordeaux Superieurs. Like Pomerols and Fronsacs, it is a Merlot-driven wine (70%) with a smaller portion of Cabernet Sauvignon (30%) rounding out the blend. The grapes are destemmed before fermentation to avoid adding unnecessary tannins. They macerate at low temperature for 3 weeks, imparting enormous richness to the wine. Maturation takes place in oak barrels (1/3 new) for 12 months. Tasting Notes : A dark ruby red colored wine that has an intense, spicy nose of red berries, cinnamon, pepper, and licorice. It is medium-bodied and soft on the palate with flavors of vanilla, cocoa, fruit, and a touch of oak preceding a great finish with silky tannins. Will continue to improve over the next few years; serve with red meat, T-bone steaks, spicy dishes or strongly-flavored cheeses. Drink now to 2010. Pair with : Blooming Rind Cheese, Broiled Red Meats, Hard Cheese, Red Meats, Roasted Red Meats, Spicy Foods, Steak, Veined Cheese, Washed Rind Cheese Winery : The property dates back to the 16th Century and is situated on sandy limestone soil near the Dordogne river. Its current owner, Jean-Jacques Lesgourgues, has beautifully restored the estate's buildings and gardens. He has also installed a state-of-the-art winery with the temperature-controlled stainless-steel fermentation tanks necessary to make good White Bordeaux, Chateau Cadillac Lesgourgues also has a second label, Chateau La Mouliniere. Region Info : Hundreds of books have been written on Bordeaux; its history (temporarily ruled by the English), its wines (the biggest wine region in the world), its terroirs (mainly alluvial soil made of stones and debris), its climate (hot but exposed to maritime weather which can create havoc at the time of harvest), and finally, its people (dynasties of ngociants or aristocratic owners of the most famous chateaux.) So we will only briefly summarize that information here. Bordeaux consists of relatively plain topography: flat and mostly devoid of trees. Two long rivers, the Garonnne and Dordogne, split the region half and then join together into the Gironde River that flows into the Atlantic Ocean. Despite the plain character, this region consists of the exact elements that produce wines of finesse, subtly and ageing. The moderate climate from the Atlantic