WTN: A Charlie Brown Christmas Eve

[David M. Bueker]

• 2003 Château Cantenac Brown - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux (12/24/2021)
  From my dad’s cellar, and we were both totally shocked at the classic form and structure of this wine from the much maligned 2003 vintage. No overripeness, no stewed notes, just a dark fruited, early maturity Bordeaux. It was easy to drink on its own, and showed zero heaviness, and in fact some real nuance. It’s not a top tier wine, but solid and eminently pleasurable.

Why has 2003 been so maligned? I thought back in the day it was being hailed as another “2000”

[David M. Bueker]

Why has 2003 been so maligned? I thought back in the day it was being hailed as another “2000”

Extreme heat and many wines with stewed/raisiny flavors.

Only Parker thought it was great.

I think Suckling too!
To be fair I think some winner in northern Medoc, especially St. Estephe. But rare to see someone with a good palate liking a 2003 Margaux. On the other hand it isn't that common to see someone with a good palate liking Cantenac Brown. Maybe this is a case where heat helped an underachiever (maybe terroir that struggles to ripen?). I don't have a real sense of CB, I've only tasted a couple.