Chateau Lascombes 1999 Margaux
I’ve been saving this bottle for a special occasion but every time I’ve looked at my wine rack, I’ve seen it hiding in the corner and been tempted just to open and savour it. It’s not often I get a good Bordeaux to try as they are the kind of money I don’t usually spend on a bottle, anything upwards of £25-£30 here in the UK.
This was a gift from a neighbour who had taken his family to France for a long weekend so we had looked after his cat. I say “we” when really it was my wife who fed the cat but it was me who got the thank you gift of this second growth Bordeaux. So we opened it to have with a roast for lunch the other day and it has been worth the (short) wait to try it.
I can now see why people describe Margaux as elegant and refined. It had a complex nose of vanilla oak and blackcurrants with the same on the palate along with some tobacco. The balance of acidity, flavour, body and length was perfect - exquisite and harmonious.
Am I now tempted to go out and buy some? Probably is the answer.
The problem with wine is that, while price isn’t always an indicator of value or quality, once you start spending a bit more on wines and thinking about what you’re drinking, it’s very easy to start spending more and more and more …
When you go wine shopping take someone with you who won’t let you go silly. My boyfriend’s upper limit is (at the moment, I’m working on him) about £12 so I have to have a really good reason to buy something more expensive …