2019 Pierre Graffeuille et Matthieu Dumarcher Odyssée

This wine was created in 2015 by Pierre Graffeuille, director of Château Léoville Las Cases, and his friend in the Rhône, Matthieu Dumarcher. It is a perfect combination of Cabernet Sauvignon from Médoc and Grenache from South Rhône. The wine is aged in French barrels and carefully integrated with the oak so as not to compete with the fruity qualities of the Rhône varieties. It has the tannic structure of the great wines of the Médoc, but also the charm, finesse and friendliness of the wines of the Rhône Valley.

This 5th edition is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (55%), Grenache (25%) and Counoise (20%). The Odyssee is 100% organically grown with a very low production. In the normal good years, a maximum of 8000 bottles are made. The Odyssée 2018 has a deep garnet red color. On the nose, the wine bubbles out of the glass with notes of which burst from the glass with a whole host of exotic spice notes - such as cumin seed, star anise and cardamom. In a second layer and with some waltzes come notes of dark ripe plums, warm cassis and blackberry preserves, with hints of dark chocolate, lavender and tapenade. The full taste is packed with concentrated black and blue fruit, framed by firm, round tannins and a nice freshness, with a very long finish with a peppery kick. Very structured and with such impressive concentration this could easily plummet for 25 years or more.