Chateau Labadie 2005 Cru Bourgeois Review
Medoc AOC
Grapes: 52% Merlot, 41% Cabernet, 7% Cabernet Franc
Country: France
Appellation: Médoc AOC Cru Bourgeois
Alcohol: 13.5%
Body: Medium Bodied
Just 70KM from the city of Bordeaux, Chateaux Labadie lies in the Begadan region of the Medoc. The property was recognised as ‘Cru Bourgeois’ standard in 1932 and has 43 hectares of vines planted largely with Cabernet and Merlot with just a few rows of Cabernet Franc.
Its vineyards contain two types of soil – limestone for the structure it lends to a wine, and gravel for the finesse and the rich fruit. The property has won many awards for its efforts – the Prix d’Excellence from Paris for the past 5 years, plus many gold’s.
This fine example comprises mainly soft plumy merlot, with a good portion of the Cabernet Sauvignon for its tannic structure which if left to breathe well are softened considerably. Whilst a dash of Cabernet Franc lends aromas of raspberries, herbs and spices, and Petit Verdot gives additional colour. The wine was aged for a year in French oak bariques, a quarter of which were new, for extra depth and complexity. This wine proves a great partner to roast lamb or poultry.
From the outstanding 2005 vintage this wine still has firm tannins so let it breathe in a decanter for an hour or so before drinking. We also found that this benefitted from being served at a more modern room temperature. It will continue to gain in complexity over the next couple of years. Enjoy by the end of 2012.
Chateaux Labadie 2005 Cru Bourgeois can be purchased individually from Laithwaites or can be purchased as part of their Laithwaites Cellar Classics wine club.
