Château Carteau Côtes Daugay 2005 St Emilion Bordeaux

Château Carteau Côtes Daugay 2005 St Emilion is a Claret made by the Bertrand family in St Emilion. It is deep ruby with a narrow garnet rim - this indicates its age. This is a wine with rounded spice along with red and black ripe fruits on the nose, oak and cedar cigar box play heavily in its aroma palate as do pencil shavings. On the palate - dry with bold ripe fruits  enrobed with smokey cedar box and spice, tannins are tasty, ripe and have a silky texture imparted by them. The refined and freshening acidity, balancing alcohol which is well tucked in, the wine has a great length, finishing with warm spices.
Overall a rounded, well knitted smokey spicey juicy wine which is accessible and reflects its birthplace well - at £19.99 from The Wine Society offers good value for money.
Score : 90

St. Emilion Taste the Difference from Sainsbury Supermarkets 2009

This Bordeaux St Emilion wine is made for Sainsbury's at the Palais Rohan and is one of the Taste the Difference range, it won a silver medal at the IWSC 2011 ( International Wine Challenge ), a competition which is judged blind by many wine professionals. It costs £9.49 but can sometimes be found on special offer - so watch out for it.
It is a medium ruby and on swirling it the wine forms slow legs - and it just tempts you in with its lovely aromas of smokey vanilla supported by red and black berry fruits and cherry, there is a hint of florality, but it merely hovers on the edge.
On the palate, the fruits are juicy, fresh and clean, the sweet spices from the oak are well integrated but add extra complexity to the silky smooth, ripe tannins, the acidity is bang on and the alcohol really well balanced, there but well stitched in, a great wine at this price, smooth, elegant and juicy fresh!
The finish has a lovely savoury twist to it and the length is OK. After the first few mouthfuls - and believe me there were alot taken of this, a chalky texture became apparent, not unpleasant - just noted! A great wine at the price - well worth a try, and if it is on special offer - a steal!