Winery	Chateau Grand Puy Ducasse
Region	Pauillac, France
Vintage	2003
Type	Red
Grape Varietals	Cabernet Saugvinon, Merlot
Retail Price	$66.00
Rating	7/10

2 weeks ago there was a pretty inconspicuous little advertisement in The Straits Times by Wine Culture. It was their 8th anniversary celebration and wines – mostly French was going at 10-40% discount. Not sure if any Wine Enthusiast noticed, but I definitely did.

Most of the discounted wines are the earlier vintages like 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2003 which are not exactly excellent years (except for 2000), but for a wine drinker who doesn’t care about vintage, the discounts does save me some extra bucks.

Some noticeably interesting labels are Chateau le Nenin 2000 ($164) and Domaine De Chevalier 2002 and 2003. After some deliberation, I decided to bang on one Grand Puy Ducasse 2003 ($66), one Domaine De Chevalier 2002 and La Dame De Montrose 2005 ($98) which unfortunately wasn’t on discount.

Of course some deliberation follows which then finally led to conclusion that a Pauillac is to accompany me for the night.

Chateau Grand Puy Ducasse having originated from the same estate as Grand Puy Lacoste is always considered as the lesser twin of both. Again, that’s not something I care for a $66 wine meant to be enjoyed.

This Pauillac wine is slightly dry, medium bodied with ruby colour hues, just nice and not too bold in the mouth, something not very typically of Pauillac which is usually dark purplish, full-bodied and tannic when young.

Nevertheless, I would consider the wine quite beautiful at its price, with pure concentrated blackcurrant, ripe fruits and hint of mint on the nose. There was also a distinct perfumy cedar wood aroma to add to the touch of elegance. Strangely on the second whiff, I was reminded of the smell of betelnut though that did not spoil the overall character of the wine. Taste wise, it developed into a delicious bready and yeasty note on the palate douse with peppery and sweetness on the front. For its age, the tannin was mild and the finishing was smooth and lasting.

My only lament about this wine is that I find it quite light bodied. This is not life threatening, rather that it’s not something I would expect. Otherwise it is enjoyable and paired well with my Bak Chor Mee (mince meat noodle).

Tasting Notes:

• With pure concentrated blackcurrant, ripe fruits and hint of mint on the nose. There was also a distinct perfumy cedar wood aroma to add to the touch of elegance. Strangely on the second whiff, I was reminded of the smell of betelnut though that did not spoil the overall character of the wine. Taste wise, it developed into a delicious bready and yeasty note on the palate douse with peppery sweetness on the front. For its age, the tannin was mild and the finishing has nice grip and good length. My only lament about this wine is that I find it quite light bodied.

 Food Pairing:

• Bak Chor Mee  

Drinkability:

• Ready. Some extra years of cellaring could smooth out the wine a little.

 Available At:

• Wine Culture