Chateau la Croix Saint-Michel 2001

Montagne St Emilion, Bordeaux, £9.99, cork seal
A Sunday roast with friends, a leg of lamb and a bottle of Claret. This is from the Saint Emilion satellite appellation of Montagne Saint Emilion and is primarily Merlot with a splash of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. One of my mates insisted on writing a tasting note even though he strangely drunk only sparkling Perrier all night. I promised I'd include his comments;

A slight woody aroma rendezvousing with the smoky atmospheric,
crappy emotional taste emanating from the soul destroying
structural belief system this magnificent wine brings on.

The nose is appealing with aromas of dark cherry, pepper, tobacco and dusty, dried herbs. The palate is intense and complex. There's a swirl of oak, but also spice and dark chocolate, with hints of smoke, plum, red capsicum and tobacco. There're plenty of powdery tannins. Chateau la Croix Saint-Michel 2001 is full bodied, inky and intense; it's definitely Bordeaux, but leans towards bigger side of things; a good drop.