Wine Review: Back to Bordeax—2005 Chateau Larose-Trintaudon Haut-Medoc

Wine Review: Back to Bordeax—2005 Chateau Larose-Trintaudon Haut-Medoc

By Codey Foster

This past Saturday, while at a wine bar in Greenwich, I found myself standing in line for the restroom next to a girl of who I took inexplicably quick interest in. She was short, blonde, unrefined, albeit gorgeous. Not my type, generally, but it wasn’t long before I found myself asking where she was from.

She looked me up and down. “France,” she replied, curtly. “But where in France?” I asked. “Bordeaux,” she replied. “Where in Bordeaux?” I asked. She scoffed, “but you don’t know Bordeaux.”

It was at this moment that the next restroom opened up and she disappeared behind the women’s room door.

Because of her austerity, tight structure, and overall inaccessibility, I can only assume that she was from Graves—but that’s beside the point.

I entered the men’s room just a moment later, hardly giving it any thought: ‘Psh. Of course I know Bordeaux. I bet I know Bordeaux better than anyone in this entire place,’ I reassured myself. It wasn’t until some time later that it really began to resonate with me. I really don’t know Bordeaux. Hardly at all.

Sure, I know my first growths, second growths, Sauternes, Cheval Blanc, St. Émilion, and Pomerol. I know the names of the estates, basic soil compositions, and blends. But when it really comes down to it—the nitty gritty details that don’t appear on a sommelier exam—I know very little. I hardly ever drink the wines, I couldn’t describe more than a couple of vintages, nor the nature of a particular vineyard site (save D’Yquem). Truthfully, Bordeaux is my single weakest French wine region. 

And so this is my resolution. Before the schools out, before the lifeguards perch, before the ice cream melts—I’ll know Bordeaux like the back of my hand. And so let the learning begin with the Chateau Larose-Trintaudon Haut-Medoc 2005.

Some people are afraid of affordable Bordeaux—and with good reason, I suppose. There’s been a lot of garbage imported in past decades, however, in recent years not only have quality-minded importers brought some really awesome stuff to the United States, but the Chateaux have stepped up their game as well—using more quality-minded methods of production that allow them to produce great wines at great prices.

This particular Bordeaux comes from the Haut-Medoc, a Left Bank AOC just south of the Medoc that is famous for its quite variable soils and a handful of estates ranked 3^rd-5^th growth in the 1855 classification. Although Chateau Larose and Chateau Trintaudon were not among them (they were in fact, once, two different estates)—the current estate is known for producing some of the finer wines from the Haut-Medoc despite being excluded from the classification. As a result Larose-Trintaudon often produces great wines that don’t come with a grand cru price tag.

2005 was in fact a spectacular vintage for the Left Bank, producing wines with especially apt aging structures, meatiness, and finesse.

I was surprised to notice that this $20 Bordeaux is still fairly young looking in the glass showing off deep red with a pit of dense purple at its center.

On the nose the Larose-Trintaudon offers up a ‘just rained’ kind of earthiness, wet pavement, succulent cherry, some raspberry, and spice box at its core. Freshly cracked pepper and subtle dried fruit (although nothing too raisony) also make an appearance at its edges.

On the palate this wine is still quite grippy and showing nice potential for additional aging. It is perhaps a bit stemmy upon pulling the cork however, this isn’t something that detracts from its overall unction and grip. As it opened up, more generous fruit came forward that was more representative of the other 2005s I’ve tasted. Maraschino cherry notes followed by hints of cassis and figs opened vibrantly.

I often find that cab-based wines take on more cherry-driven characteristics in the Old World where as, in the New World, they are more black currant oriented and jammy. This Left Bank  is no exception. Its structure is classy and composed. A thought-stimulating, yet classic example of Bordeaux that won’t break the bank. I’d be willing to bet you’d do pretty well for yourself sticking a couple of these in the cellar and forgetting them for another four years.

A recommendation from my buddy Thor

Available at Ancona’s Wines for $19.99

http://www.anconaswine.com/sku03620.html