Château Lamothe de Haux Premières Côtes de Bordeaux 2003

A light, lovely, charming claret, the 2003 Château Lamothe de Haux Premières Côtes de Bordeaux is a juicy crowd pleasing red Bordeaux that could do serious damage to Merlot sales in America. Its bright ruby robe, beguiling bouquet, friendly up front flavor, and gracious huggable body make for one very pleasing, easy drinking red wine. If you are expecting or looking for a tannic monster, please apply elsewhere. The 2003 Château Lamothe de Haux Premières Côtes is all about fine, every day drinking – right now. We truly appreciate all the immediate appeal that the Néel-Chombard family has poured into their lovely red Premières Côtes de Bordeaux. The aromatic profile of cassis, cedar, and mulberry, coupled with the round, huggable savor of crushed berries and sandalwood, make for plain, old-fashioned good drinking. Bravo! This is the kind of wine that made Bordeaux famous centuries ago, and why not? We suggest serving it cool (no more than 60° -65° F) straight out of the bottle.

Light, savory dishes such as French Country Chicken, a medley of grilled chicken, finely diced carrots, celery, olive oil, and spices offers a superb accompaniment to the 2003 Château Lamothe de Haux Premières Côtes de Bordeaux. A plain or lightly grilled veal chop provides another excellent complement to the sprightly Château Lamothe de Haux Premières Côtes de Bordeaux. Spit or rotisserie roasted chicken makes for good company as well. Fusilli Pasta, topped with grilled chicken or tuna, fresh cherry tomatoes, and a light cream sauce highlights the attributes of this classy claret, too. Light to medium flavored cow's milk cheeses will also provide satisfying company, so sit back, pop the cork, pour a glass, and enjoy authentic claret. Salut!

Château Lamothe de Haux is a splendid wine estate and country manor whose origins date to the 17th century. It is one of the most impressive, poetic pieces of the splendid Premières Côtes of Bordeaux. Château Lamothe was renovated in the 19th century and is now the charming home of the Néel-Chombard family who own and manage this property along with neighboring Château Sauvage and nearby Château Manos. The splendor of Château Lamothe de Haux begins with its imposing position. It sits atop a rocky spur that is surrounded by vines. When viewed from the vineyard, the Château and its nearly two hundred acres of vines appear as a ship, plying the open waters of the sea. Situated in an undulating sea of vines, Château Lamothe is caressed by the light of both the rising and setting sun – the perfect Bordeaux terroir for the cultivation of the vine. Although Château Lamothe itself dates only to the 17th century, the vine and the spirit of wine have thrived in the picturesque part of the Premières Côtes de Bordeaux where Château Lamothe now sits since Gallo Roman times. This area was also once an important stop over for the annual throng of pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostella, one of medieval Christendom's greatest pilgrimage sites. Today, the fusion of sun and earth produce the alchemy that draws visitors to its caves and render the wines of Château Lamothe so endearing. The Néel-Chombard family and their trained winegrowers and enologists, Anne, Fabrice, Maria, and Damien fashion wonderful white as well as red wine at Château Lamothe. As with many family owned Bordeaux estates, there is equal attention paid to white and red wine here and both are made in considerable quantity. The Château Lamothe Blanc is a traditional blend of three white Bordeaux grape varieties: Sauvignon Blanc (40%), Sémillon (40%), and Muscadelle (20%). The latter varietal is an authentic Bordeaux variety from which dry white wine is fashioned; it bears no relation to Moscatel, the sweet insipid wine of old. Similarly, the Château Lamothe Rouge combines the three long-established red Bordeaux varietals into an artful blend. In a normal vintage, the traditional red cuvee is comprised of Merlot (60%), Cabernet Sauvignon (30%), and Cabernet Franc (10%).