(Monday... did you do your homework? Time to comment and vote on the weekend's wine...)
Name: 2001 Prieure Les Tours Graves
Grape: Merlot, Cabernet and Cabernet Franc
Region: France
Price: $16.99
It is possible to find delicious Bordeaux that does not cost a fortune. Due to an archaic classification system, dating back to 1855, Bordeaux wines are judged by groups of houses rather than soil type. Therefore, two neighboring wineries who share everything but name (and classification) can produce similar wines that sell for very different prices. The more reputable house can get away with charging four to five times more than its neighbor!
Graves has always been on my short list of Go To phrases to look for on a wine bottle, but I never knew what it meant...
thx Jenny
Just picked up two bottles for the weekend - there are at least two cases worth left in the echo-ing French aisle of Astor - that place is really emptying out. This is their last week at the 12 Astor Place location.
We opened a bottle on Friday night... it had a big nose, but a light finish that was a little surprising. It opened up after a while. We ate it with a light pasta on Friday, which was fine. The next night we had grilled skirt steak and it wasn't full enough for that dish. I would recommend it, but it wasn't a stand-out wine.
I liked it. I thought the flavors were concentrated and appropriate, the wine well balanced but not flashy. It is too young and a bit closed at the moment although a heavy decant or a few more years in the bottle will take care of this.
For a Graves I thought it was a great deal & I will definitely buy more.
The Graves was very user friendly for a Bordeaux, meaning that it did not require much time to open up. I also found the flavors to be suprisingly forward for a Bordeaux which is something that I like. A recommendation worthy wine- very enjoyable.