Chateau Larose Trintaudon Haut-Medoc 2005

After a long hiatus due to a nasty cold that had my taste buds and sense of smell pretty much out of order, its time to pick up on my series of Bordeaux bargains. Today's subject comes from the rather large region of Haut-Medoc, which can produce a pretty wide variety of wines that come from varying degrees of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot along with other Bordeaux varietals in small amounts for blending.

The Chateau Larose Trintaudon Haut-Medoc 2005 is garnet red in color and brings aromas of cassis and black cherry fruit along with a pleasant earthiness with some herbs and just the slightest bit of barnyard. In your mouth you get more cassis and black cherries that is balanced by some nice acidity and very well integrated tannins. The finish also brings a hint of sweet vanilla to go with the tannins in this full bodied, but not overpowering wine. Overall, you get a fantastic combination of fruit tempered with some subtle earth - just how I like my Bordeaux.

I drank this with red wine braised short ribs, and it made for a phenomenal pairing. It would also go well with grilled steak or rack of lamb, and at a price point of $15 for the wine, you can afford to splurge on your butcher's best.

Cheers!