A few weeks ago I serendipitously sailed past Searson’s in Monkstown, albeit strolling not boating.

As luck would have it Håkan Eriksson, formerly of enowine, had started that day as shop manager so gave me the tour. If you haven’t been it’s a bit of a mecca for wine lovers, with some great stuff on the shelves. Great prices on classed growth Bordeaux, some of it old stuff and ready for drinking, which you don’t find too much of.

And Bordeaux is where I stayed, spotting a half bottle of Château Beaumont 1998 for about €8. The current vintage (2006) on the shelves of O’Brien’s is around €20, so €8 was pretty attractive so I took her home for the evening. Half bottles are great for that glass and a bit of wine and still feeling fresh as a daisy the next day

Lean, austere style, classic Medoc. Pencil shavings, blackcurrant, smooth and silky and a nice level of acidity, all of which could see it last another couple of years without fading. Interesting too, in that critics would normally recommend drinking the “lowly” Médocs with 4-5 years of vintage and this is going strong after twelve. Purrfect with a simple bit of sweet roast lamb.

The blend is one that varies on the vintage, but it’s classic left bank, with a big share of Merlot than I sensed when drinking.

  • 52% Cabernet Sauvignon
  • 43% Merlot
  • 3% Petit Verdot
  • 2% Cabernet Franc

Faith restored in Bordeaux? Getting there. Any Bordeaux rocking your boat?