Château Lestruelle Médoc Cru Bourgeois (750ml)

The Bouey family has farmed Bordeaux since 1821 and acquired Lestruelle in 1998, and this is their Médoc Cru Bourgeois. Merlot leads the blend over a Cabernet Sauvignon backbone, from the gravel-over-limestone terroir of the northern Médoc, with Stéphane Derenoncourt consulting. The style is contemporary, meaning round, smooth and fruit-forward, and it gives up none of the structure that earned the Cru Bourgeois mention.

Mood: Friday-night Bordeaux, no apologies.

Tasting notes

The color is deep garnet-purple. Blackberry, black currant and fresh plum come with pencil-shavings, dusty earth, and a thread of ground pepper. It is medium- to full-bodied, with fine-grained tannins, a juicy mid-palate, and a finish that lingers on dark fruit and a touch of forest floor. Give it 30 minutes in a decanter so the perfume can open.

Food pairing

Serve with standing rib roast, brisket, lamb shoulder, or hard aged cheeses. It is made for a Shabbos meat meal, with enough substance for the main course and enough polish for the cheese board that follows.

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