WTN: A Decanter medal winning dry white Graves

[Tim York]

Château Roquetaillade-la-Grange – Graves- 2007 – Alc. 12% - (€8,90) is made from Sémillon 60%, Muscadelle 20% and Sauvignon 20% and is barrique aged (new content not specified).

I was curious to try this wine because of its dominance by Sémillon and because the bottle bore a sticker boasting a Decanter silver medal. In the event most of the identifiable fruit notes were those I associate with Sauvignon and, pleasant though the wine was, I could not see the reason for a Decanter award.

C: Pale yellow.
N: Very attractive with notes of soft white fruit, minerals and traces of cream and honey.
P: Did not live up to the nose but was pleasantly refreshing with light/medium body, fresh acidity, notes of gooseberry and grapefruit with the latter contributing a stimulating bitterness on the finish. There was a slight hollowness in mid-palate which seemed to fill in slightly on the last glass after the fish was finished; length was medium. This was quite enjoyable but I won’t be rushing out to buy more even at this modest price; 15/20+.

Come on you guys out there! Let’s have a few more TNs before the month ends.

[Ian Sutton]

Tim
Yes those Decanter awards are a bit meaningless. FWIW I tend to group the wines thus:
Highly recommended = likely to be pretty average
Bronze = likely to be pretty average
Silver = likely to be pretty average
Gold = likely to be pretty average
Trophy = likely to be pretty average


regards

IAn