L’Oratoire de Chasse Spleen 2004
Bordeaux, France
16.80€
Think you’ve heard the name before? It’s a 2nd Wine of a most illustrious estate in Bordeaux (see FWW Wine Facts below) and gives us crackingly good value, backbone and breeding! Garnet red, this wine has notes of vivid blackberry, liquorice and plum on the nose with definite cassis & blackcurrant leaf flavours on the palate. Excellent depth and concentration, subtle smoky oak and unbelievable finesse. You better get some of this before I’m tempted to drink the lot myself!
Drink with: Frankly, I’d treat yourself to a Cote de Boeuf (between two), a simple Rocket Salad and a large enough glass to let this wine breath and become ethereal perfection. PS I’ve also served it with Peppered Venison, Yorkshire Pudding and Horseradish Crème Fraiche…but that’s another story!
FWW Wine Facts:
• Moulis wines are often more approachable when young than some of their posher neighbours with fine vintages such as 2005 begging to be left alone for decades, this will reward the impatient quaffer earlier and more cheaply!
• L’Oratoire de Chasse Spleen is the 2nd Wine of Château Chasse Spleen: a 2nd wine is made from the grapes which, in these competitive and rating chasing time, didn’t make it into an estates Grand Vin. Often made from the grapes from younger vines (less than 20 years old), yet they share the same expertise, terroir and history as the Grand Vin but do NOT demand the same price – often a 1/3 of the price of the main wine – worth remembering in these “credit crunch” times.
• The 2004 vintage is a blend of 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 7% Petit Verdot and will drink well for the next 6 years or so.
• Château Chasse Spleen itself is thought to have been named by the melancholic English poet, Lord Byron, when he stayed there on route to Spain.