Clyde's Corner

In our next Club Francais, we’ll be featuring the 2000 de Viaud from Lalande de Pomerol, so Clyde took the occasion to revisit a bottle of the 2003 from the estate. This was a controversial vintage in Bordeaux—a warm year with some hits and some misses—so I was curious how the wine would taste 17 years down the line. But Clyde lives by the credo of finding the best wines in under-rated vintages for the best values, and he’s king at picking out the good ones.

So, how is it holding up?

Very well! His tasting notes: “The 2003 has great blackberry fruit aromas and flavors. This was the very hot 2003 vintage, but this wine is not pruney or out of balance. Quite delicious.” And it’s another testament to Clyde’s palate. He knows how to pick the ones that’ll last, and at $29.99, this is a screaming value.

Here’s what he says about the château: “I have been going to Bordeaux for 35 years and have been to the Lalande de Pomerol region at least 15 times, but I had never seen this property nor had I heard of it until three years ago, when a négociant brought me a couple bottles to taste. This is a château that made wine, but sold very little, so they have good stocks of older vintages. We have sold these two vintages in the last couple of years—they sold quickly. Seventeen-year-old Bordeaux for under $40—a great treat.”

(PS: We always have hidden gems in our wine clubs, which run the gamut of options, including a personal sommelier service. If you like to discover new wines and wineries, it’s a beautiful thing!)

- Kate Soto