Chateau Hostens-Picant Grangeneuve Bordeaux Rouge / 2020 / 375mL

Description:

The Château Hostens-Picant Grangeneuve Bordeaux Rouge 2020 is a supple, dark-fruited Bordeaux red in a 375mL half bottle. Plum, blackcurrant and a touch of dried bay sit over a gently savoury, earthy base, the sort of claret that rewards a glass or two rather than demanding a long evening.

The aromatics lean towards cassis and black cherry, with cedar-like spice and a hint of tobacco leaf behind. On the palate the fruit is ripe but contained, carried by fine, powdery tannins and a line of acidity that keeps the middle fresh rather than plush. The finish is medium in length, drying slightly in a way that calls for food.

The half bottle makes this an easy midweek proposition: one solid glass each over a roast chicken, or a single generous pour with a steak sandwich, a wedge of hard cheese or a bowl of beef ragù. It also travels well, which makes it useful for picnics, hotel rooms and dinners for one where a full bottle would be a waste.

Serve it a touch below room temperature, around 16 degrees, and give it fifteen minutes in the glass if you can spare the time.

Drinking well now and through to around 2030.