2003 Verdignan Rouge, Haut-Médoc

The 2003 vintage, which broke heat records all through Europe, was a darling of the wine press, but most of the wines came across too ripe for me. This is an exception, and a fantastic value. This is big Bordeaux, with lots of body, texture and tannin, yet it is still fresh and vibrant. I am looking forward to steak frites night at home as this Verdignan is just the bottle for rib eye in the cast iron and potatoes fried up in left over duck fat!

A perfect vintage for this property, which makes big shouldered wines. The ultra ripe 2003 is perfect. Tons of red currant fruit on the nose with an immediate palate impression of sweet, ripe red fruits. Plenty of substance for a few years in cellar, but very good right now.

This wine literally flew out the door when we last had it in stock. Ripe and expansive on the nose and palate, with a good fat middle and a long mineral-driven finish. A big hit in my neighborhood!

If you are looking for a drink-now traditionally styled left-bank Bordeaux, look no further than the 03 Verdignan. 03 was a hot vintage, and there's loads of flavor on the palate to show for it. Bottle development has added futher complexity to the flavors on the palate and the finish. You'll be hard-pressed to find a bottle of this caliber and breeding for under $15.

In the January Bordeaux tasting in Hollywood this was the favorite value wine and the most purchased. At only $15 it is a great introduction to Bordeaux. On the nose blackberry dominates with a bit of oak in the background. The ripe mouthfeel is black fruit, cassis, oak spice and a little earthiness. The cassis finish is of good length with a touch of astringency while the tannins are a bit gritty and chewy.

This is a great bargain from the much hyped and super fruity 2003 Bordeaux vintage. Rich and chewy, this full-bodied wine has ripe blackberry fruit, sweet toasty oak, touches of spice and earth and great structure. Drink this fruity super value now and over the next decade.

Chateau Verdignan is a small property of 60 hectares excellently situated on gravel soils in Saint-Seurin-de-Cadourne, close to the Gironde River just north of the appellation of St-Estephe. 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc and 30% Merlot. We are fortunate at the moment to have several different vintages available. The 2003 Chateau Verdignan shows off the ripeness of the vintage. On the nose, ripe blackberry fruit with a soupçon of well-seasoned oak. In the mouth ripe plum, black currant and cassis. The wine is richly textured with a thick, mouth-coating appeal. Lush, sensual, hedonistic. No need to delay gratification here. This is a wine to enjoy tonight.

Nice but nothing noteworthy.

Deep garnet in color...somewhat heady nose (although I will admit I only decanted this bottle a bout 15 minutes before I tasted it) with hints of almost candy like berry and a hint of what I want to say is clove...

Very silky but also slightly "flat"...pleasant, juicy flavors of strawberry on the palate, a bit of spice, and a sort of woody quality with a pleasant level of tartness...tannins are very present, but not quite as "big" as I was expecting...

Some spice with an almost creamy quality on the finish (which is shorter than I was expecting) but with a bit of bitterness that distracts somewhat from the overall experience...