Review: Chateau Le Coteau 2003

The left bank of the Gironde river is home to the famed Haut-Medoc region of Bordeaux. It is here that some of the world’s most exemplary red wines are produced. Unfortunately, it is also home to some of the most expensive. As such, it can be somewhat difficult to find a truly great wine. Unfortunately, the Chateau Le Coteau is not one of these wines. However, it is a certainly enjoyable and very intricate offering from the Margaux appellation. Along with Pauillac, Saint-Julien, and Saint-Estephe, Margaux represents one of the major four communes in the Haut-Medoc. Here, the “left bank” style of predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon blends preside (“right bank” style refers to a blend predominantly consisting of Merlot). Margaux, however, represents the more delicate and intricate of the communes. This wine is a testament to that. It pours a fairly opaque garnet/ruby color with slightly tawny edges. On the nose, a wonderful array of scents arise, including cherries, green pepper, violets, mocha, oak, vanilla, cured meats and tobacco/cigar box. On the tongue, the drinker can enjoy a fair amount of bell pepper and cassis from the cabernet, paired with strawberries and cherries from the merlot. All of this if accompanied by a not-so-subtle presence of oak that could use several more years in the bottle to mellow out. It isn’t a huge jammy mouth feel, but it still stands up well. The finish is intricate, albeit short, and the complexity warrants a second glass. Try it with the classic pairing of roasted lamb, or be bold and go for some game meats such as hare and boar.

Overall Rating: 87