There’s something irresistible about the combination of a well-browned, juicy cut of meat and a glass of red wine. For subtler meats like duck or tenderloin, we love Burgundy; for lamb or anything spiced, send us Côte Rôtie. But for something hearty – a ribeye perhaps – our favorite is Bordeaux.
Red Bordeaux can be astronomically pricey, but it needn’t always be. We love finding under-the-radar gems from lesser-known Chateaux, and today’s is a great example: a five-year-old Pauillac that’s simply delicious. And at $32 it leaves plenty of room to go top shelf on your steak.
If Pauillac is classic Bordeaux, then Chateau Artigues is classic Pauillac. It’s equal parts cabernet sauvignon and merlot, and aged a year in a mix of tank and 25% new oak. Pauillac is known for its powerful wines that are mouthfilling and ageworthy – this should continue to improve for another year or two, but after 30 min in a decanter it’s awfully hard to put down today.
The nose is attractive and very dark, with oak melting carefully into the cassis and cherry fruit. The mouth is rich and concentrated, but not exuberant or showy – there’s plenty of definition and stony structure to keep this in line. The tannins are full and smoothed, with a long, careful finish.
Serve this at your first patio dinner of the season – your guests won’t know the name, but after a few sips they won’t care.
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Chateau Artigues Pauillac 2018
bottle price: $32