Wine Wednesday: 1997 Langoa-Barton

There are a lot of reasons I like working for K&L, not the least of which is that I get to drink and write about wine for a living. But a close second to that is this: while our staff are a bunch of wine geeks, we're not snobs. Case in point is our Wine of the Week, the 1997 Langoa-Barton, which is selling for only $39.99. While that may not sound like a super bargain in this economy, consider what it is: 10-year-old Bordeaux that you can enjoy RIGHT NOW. And trust me, we are. This is not First Growth Bordeaux, nor is it highly-rated, but it is incredibly drinkable. On the nose it has basil, umeboshi, red plum, cranberry and cherry aromas. Medium-bodied on the palate, it has spice, blackberry, mineral and meaty tones, with perfectly integrated tannins and fantastic freshness. I brought this to dinner at Fraiche in Culver City for a friend's birthday a couple of weeks ago and ended up in a long conversation with the sommelier about what an awesome wine (and what a great value) it was. It paired perfectly with Chef Elderoy Andrease's decadent rack of lamb.

Leah Greenstein