Lanessan

The history of the estate can be traced back to 1310 when the widow of Henri de Lanessan, Lady Paironne la Montagne sold it to the Seigneur of Blaignan. In 1793 the Delbos family acquired the land and gained notoriety by failing to submit a sample for the 1855 classification (cue Homer Simpson cries of "Doh!") To rub salt into their wounds, Robert Parker suggests that it may have merited Fifth growth status had the bottle been sent. Despite their error, the name "Delbos" still appears on the label alongside that of the present owner "Bouteiller". The reluctance to use new barrels engenders a very classically lined claret; Lanessan rarely lavishes the palate with velvety tannins. Therefore it is a wine to be served to those who appreciate traditional Bordeaux, akin to a less well-endowed Pauillac.  The wine is always very reasonably priced and produced what one might call a "good, decent claret" in the very English sense of the word. NEAL MARTIN