ch. penin bordeaux superior 2003

Chateau Penin is your standard if you are searching for a good Bordeaux but are not sure where to start. It is one of the older wine houses in France and the best wines from here show distinct terroir. The estate is situated on very localised gravel soils, between a limestone plateau and the marshland on the left bank of the Dordogne river facing Saint Emilion in the Bordeaux region.

A little history: The estate has been family-owned since its beginnings in 1854 when it was bought by Louis Carteyron and his son, Jacques, where the production was initially divided between fruit and wine. Hubert Carteyron began selling Ch. Penin in bottles with the 1964 vintage. Now, his son Patrick, the 5th generation Carteyron, overseas the estate.

Ok, so how did this 2003 bottle measure up?

Price: $35

Color: Blood red cherries

Nose: Alive and fresh red fruit made me want to keep inhaling, over and over. Also hints of coconut from French oak and mineral notes of wet slate and earth.

Taste: Ch. Penin delivered a delicate, balanced and complex wine. A smooth and dark flavor with a bit of cherry fruit though not dominant to the earth and gentle acidity. The black cherry, earth, and wet stone combination in my mouth left a gentle feeling all over my palette. Serving this at ~60 degrees (F) was perfect for a pre-dinner bottle. The tannins were there but they seemed to have had enough time (since 2003) to soften. You won't pucker up on this wine from the acidity or the tannins, but rather note how gentle the dryness is on the sides of your mouth. So, I found pleasant tannins and overall little taste up front since most of the taste is concentrated in the middle to back of the palette and lingers for a bit. A real pleasure to drink. My wife and I finished this bottle before dinner was ready.

Thinking about food: This wine remains very light bodied and would be heavily overshadowed if you drank it for dinner with a dark, musky steak. I'd stick with fish or a buttery pasta of herbs, shitakes, capers, and wine. If you get the chance to serve this Bordeaux with friends (it deserves an audience) make sure it is the first bottle opened.

Finally, if you are comparing this Bordeaux with the Ch. Caronne St. Gemme, this bottle wins hands down.