Today’s rogue wine recommendation (rogue because it veers pretty damn far off the thematic target of Pinot Noir) is for a profoundly yummy, and profoundly characteristic Bordeaux that you don’t have to sell your car to be able to buy:
2001 Chateau Beauregard Ducasse, Graves
Delicious, mature, complex Bordeaux for under $15? Believe it. If you’ve wanted to get a sense of what all the Bordeaux fuss is about, in terms of taste, but didn’t think you could afford to find out… think again. For $12.99 at K & L Wines, this Graves blend of Merlot, Cab Sauv, and Cab Franc is an excellent example at an amazing price.
For me, this drank beautifully straight from the bottle, sans decanting. Aromas of rich blackberry, tea, a hit of tobacco perhaps, and Indonesian spice primed my palate for the arrival of this full-bodied, fruit balanced, mouth-filling juice. Exciting, elegant tannins drive through tunnels of dark berry and spice flavor like a Peugeot in the Aravis Pass. At 10 years of age, this bargain Bordeaux is in its prime.
I went to a Bordeaux tasting recently of about 10 wines that were all from $15 to $85 more expensive than this one, and none of them pleased me as much as this.
Please drink this with grilled steak or roast lamb. Veggies, try this with dark chocolate, or a stewed Indian spinach-mushroom dish. An amazing alternative paring would be Indonesian beef rendang.