TN: 10 Chantegrive 'rouge' [Graves]

[AKR]

2010 Chantegrive Rouge [Graves] Drunk on the cold side of 60F, in proper stems, over the course of 4 days. This is yummy stuff. For a variety of reasons, we don't drink all that much young/newly released red wine around our house, and this is one of the relatively few bottles we've consumed almost immediately. So it takes me a while to get used to the vibrancy of this very young effort, but it's really pleasurable. There is nice balance, and enough lushness that it can be enjoyed plain, without any food accompaniment. If one is expecting Graves typicity -- in that that smoky charry character -- I didn't pick up any yet. Perhaps some will emerge with time. For some reason it reminds me of another ripe effort that I also loved in its youth - the 2003 Lillian Ladouys. It has nice legs on the glass, but doesn't taste syrupy or gooey. B+ or A-

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A note from a few months ago. I liked it enough that I picked up a case, afterwards. I noticed it sold very quickly through the store.

[JimHow]

This is one of the best bargains I've seen in recent years. I got it on sale at Zachy's for about $20.
I too bought a case but they are all gone.
The '09 was excellent too.

[AKR]

I might get a bottle or two of the 09, as I think there is some at a place that I can stop at on the way home from a road trip.

For all the hysteria about Bordeaux pricing, when wines like this are available at such price points, and offer immediate satisfaction, while having some cellaring potential, I don't see what they are worrying about. If Latour commands the rates the Le Pin does, it doesn't affect my consumer choices.

[AlexR]

Chantegrive was imported into the US for years by Château & Estate, and has a large following.

It's a big estate that does good work: fine wines at affordable prices.

They even make an AOC Céros (sweet).

All the best,
Alex

[JimHow]

2010 Chantegrive is on sale at bassins.com for $19.99.
It is a 90 pointer from The Retired One.

[DavidG]

I have a few of these and agree with Arv's note. A nice daily drinker, I thought it an excellent value at the $24 I paid. Should drink well for 5-10 years but wouldn't expect it to make old bones. If I had room in the drinking plan for more young daily drinkers and less mature wine in the cellar, I would be reloading at MacArthur for $20 per.

[Jay Winton]

I opened one last night with our rack of lamb. Decanted and pored. More time would have been a good thing. Drinks above its price tag of $18. Plenty of fruit but quite tannic initially before it began to open up. B+ for value.

[AKR]

2nd bottle of 2010 Chantegrive rouge [Graves] from a case, popped and poured. It's still youthful, dark, primary with polite but grippy tannins. This has been kept fairly cold, so is perhaps less evolved than 'normal' examples but I'm surprised at how slowly this is evolving. As noted initially, I don't taste/smell many of the classical markers of the region - char, cigar, smoke etc. - but its still a very tasty, firm earthy wine. I don't find it glaringly modern or stylistically 'international' and there's a little of bit of the cedar/pencil notes. According to the 'good' Jeff Leve, its a newer 'estate' cobbled together out of many Graves parcels (sort of like Gloria up in St Julien?) with the 40k production a cepage of equal parts merlot and CS with a third new oak used in elevage.

B+ in my ledger - good juice, at a great price.