[Tasted during WSET Diploma – Unit 3 – Week 3: Bordeaux]

If you didn’t know anything about wine and looked at the label would you think “Graves” meant “graves” and that the picture was of a cemetery? Just, like, a random thought. It’s Halloween on Friday or whatever.

I don’t remember much about this wine including why it was chosen in our first flight of four. What I remember is that the flavour profile was very similar to the second wine in our flight but with slightly more complexity with scents of cigar boxes and brushes of mint along with the developing fruit.

Now that I remember it, there was probably a discussion on how wine from Graves, which is in the southern part of Bordeaux, generally matures quicker than more structured wine from the left bank. Perhaps evident with the classmate who read her notes – she thought this was from the 2006 vintage and at a level of outstanding quality. I and some others couldn’t find as much complexity as she did, and indeed this was generally agreed upon as a level down in quality at “very good”, and very good it was: I remember taking notice that this was great at $37.

I thought that this had notable intensity on the palate with a moderate acid level hardly concealing fantastic flavours of red fruit, plum, and hints of leather and cigar boxes. Complexity isn’t the strong point, but the wine excels in balance and length where it lacks otherwise. I don’t know – I’d certainly buy this.

Tasting Note:

Eyes: clear, med ruby, legs
Nose: clean, med+ intensity, developing, oak vanilla, red fruit, plum, stewed red fruit, earth, cooked plum, red fruit, mint, hint cigar box, hint leather
Mouth: dry, med+ body, med acid, med+ flavour intensity, med+ fine tannin, med+ length, red fruit, dried red fruit, plum, earth
All in all: Very good quality: good balance frames the intense flavours onto a reasonably long finish, though there could be more complexity in this seemingly evolved wine. Drink now: not suitable for ageing or further ageing.
Identity Guess: High-priced Médoc from Bordeaux, France; 4 years old.
Is really: High-priced Graves from Bordeaux, France; 5 years old.

Producer: Château Cabannieux
Designation: N/A
Region: France
Sub-Region: Graves, Bordeaux
Variety: Merlot (50%), Cabernet Sauvignon (45%), Cabernet Franc (5%)
ABV: 13%
Vintage: 2009
Tasted: October 27, 2014
Price: $37