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Château Tanesse 2012 Cadillac Côtes de Bordeaux 13.5% $17
This full-on Bordelais blend of 49% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot has a broad nose replete with red and black forest berries. Nuanced, if hardly subtle, the wine smells of blackberries, loganberries, blueberries, briar patch and smoked beef. It’s an absolute delight to sniff and would be well-paired with a spicy cigar. The palate doesn’t disapoint in flavor either. Though nicely round in the mid-palate with good flesh, mitigated tannins and somewhat custardy acidity, the panoply of flavors falls fast on the short finish. Nonetheless, the wide gives a solid showing, and I’d be happy to share it around my table with friends. This wine is one of many that proves that the various “Côtes” appellations of Bordeaux make for excellent drinking while sparing the wallet.
Drink: 2015-17