2003 Mas de Daumas Gassac

Had lunch with friends yesterday and this was offered for tasting. I had several vintages of this wine in the past and I still remember liking a lot 1998 and 2000. Usually a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon with more than 10 grapes completing the blend, the back label contains the producer’s advice to decant the wine 12-24 h before drinking. For us it was about 30 min to 1 h.

2003 Mas de Daumas Gassac rouge

Medium ruby red with a slight orange rim and a lot of sediment in the bottle and the decanter. Initial nose is strange with pronounced iron and herbal, but after swirling in the glass it opens up. Better after 1 h. The nose comes a bit rustic and tertiary, with beef blood and cured meat, tobacco, undergrowth and sweet fresh cherries. Full mid-palate, soft and assertive tannins, savoury currants and tobacco palate, it has enough structure and persistence to last a few more years. It has freshness in spite of the 2003 hot vintage. A wine that delivers, but not at the same level as 1998 or 2000. (90/100)