The everyday luxury side of Bordeaux

All I really want out of an inexpensive bottle of Bordeaux is something to remind me of how great the bottles are that either a) I can’t afford, or b) I have but can’t open. So when I opened a bottle of 2006 Château Listran from the Médoc, I hoped for just a little reminder of something special.

2006 Château Listran, Médoc

This is a wine that has some availability in the US. It was formerly imported by Palm Bay, and Winesearcher shows some amount remaining at retail between $16 and $19.

Classified as Cru Bourgeois, the estate is located in the lower elevation Médoc AOC north of the four famous communes of the left bank. They grow primarily Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot along with small amounts of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot in gravelly sedimentary soils from the Garonne River. With acreage under vine at the estate once as high as 875, a succession of owners have reduced the acreage under vine to as low as 55 acres today. Current production is approximately 200,000 bottles. 

The wine is vinified using traditional methods and is finished in tank, aging of 90% of the wines taking place in barrel (20% new) for 12 months. It is bottled unfiltered.

In the glass was a dense ruby color with emerging aromas of dried lavender and sandstone, along with cherry and raspberry fruit -- overall a really pretty ethereal elegance that was the highlight of the wine for me. The notes were consistent on the palate although not as striking, with the fruit still showing nicely. Medium bodied and angular in structure, it added hints of black olive and espresso through the mid palate before finishing with firm tannins. The flavor profile was very nice and it drank well overall, albeit with a short finish.

I opened it for simple steaks on the grill, and it worked very well as a dinner companion before putting half the bottle away under The Wine Shield for two days. The revisit two days later day showed more of the oak and less of the vivacity from the fruit and florals, although it was still drinking well.

So was it what I was looking for? The beautiful bouquet and flavor highlights were easy to like and served as a reminder of greater things. Another reminder was the value of this price point in Bordeaux. If not this wine again, I’ll ask for a recommendation from my local wine shop. There’s plenty out there.

Killing a 2005 Bordeaux

I have a few 2005 Bordeaux bottles laying around waiting for that magical day in the future when they truly are ready to be opened. I made that stash a little leaner this weekend by cracking open a 2005 Clos Du Marquis. It had been too long since indulging on a nice Bordeaux- I couldn't help myself.

Clos Du Marquis is a second wine of one of Saint-Julien's top chateaux, the "Super" Second Growth Château Léoville-Las Cases. Léoville-Las Cases rivals the left bank First Growths in acclaim; a dream wine for me to be sure. They were one of the first Chateaux to produce a second wine. First produced in 1902, Clos Du Marquis is made from a completely separate parcel of vineyards that is surrounded on all sides by other Second Growths. The blend is primarily Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot with a little higher percentage of Merlot than in the Grand Vin. There are also small percentages of Petit Verdot and Cab Franc.

I opened and decanted and started drinking the wine with dinner at about the three hour mark. It was tight initially but quickly opened. By hour four through the rest of the evening it was an open and giving wine with balance and elegance and a fine but firm structure. Still very youthful, but definitely making the experience of opening early worthwhile. It was definitely true to the appellation of Saint-Julien's balance of grace and power.

My notes- Clos Du Marquis 2005 Saint-Julien- Four hour decant. Dense medium garnet in color. Layered bouquet with notes of violets, crushed stone, cassis & blueberry. Very fine and polished on the palate- initially tight but started to open up after the third hour. The flavors were mostly consistent with the bouquet- elegant pure fruit and savory floral & mineral depth. Oak is well integrated with just hints of cocoa. Fine opulent tannins and full finishing notes of blue & black fruit. (Rating- I like++!) Give this 5-8 years and it will move firmly into "I love!" territory. $50-$60.

Cru Bordeaux Tasting

The 2007 Bordeaux vintage is interesting to me. Mainly, because I've been fortunate enough to taste a fair sampling of the wines. I went to the Union des Grand Crus de Bordeaux trade tasting in January and tasted wines from throughout Bordeaux, then got to follow that up with a Bordeaux tasting class at Atlanta Wine School that featured another sampling of 2007's. Furthermore, 2007 is a less than stellar vintage. With the wines initially priced high, and as inventories throughout the trade stagnate, there should be some nice bargains available over the next couple of years. For what it's worth, here are some notes on the wines that I tasted tonight.

~2007 Domaine de Chevalier Bordeaux Blanc, Grand Cru Classé de Graves, Pessac-Leognan- 80% Sauvignon Blanc, 20% Semillon. Nose of honeydew melon, cantaloupe, and river rock that grows more floral with time in the glass. Crisp citrus on the palate with mineral notes and light touches of heather honey. Finishes with lilac floral notes and lime---very good to excellent---$75-$100.

~2007 Chateau Canon-la-Gaffeliere Grand Cru Classé Saint-Emilion- 55% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Franc, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Really detailed with secondary depth on both the nose and the palate, with the black fruit wound tightly within. Aromas of cedar, coffee, cracked pepper, and minerals. Flavors of fig, currant, slate, violet, leather, apple, and espresso. Cedary tannins with closing notes of tea and wood that further clip the fruit. With some age and the fruit opening up to intermingle with the host of other notes, this could really shine---Very Good to Excellent---$60 up to $130 online.

~2007 Chateau Larrivet Haut-Brion, Pessac-Leognan- 55% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc. Woodsy notes of cedar, chocolate, cherry- inviting with forward notes lavender, raspberry, mineral, and tea. Lush feel with herb-laced tannins. Good now.---Very Good---$20-$30.

~2007 Chateau Beaumont, Haut-Medoc Cru Bourgeois- 52% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc. Piney aromas of eucalyptus and pipe tobacco- with espresso, sour cherry, tea, and bitter chocolate. Finishes with silky tannins---fair to good---$15-$20.

~2007 Chateau du Tertre, Margaux, 5th Growth- 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot. Leathery, anise, floral notes, and raspberry- with raspberry tort, cherry, wet stone, and chocolate. Velvety with lush finishing notes---Very Good---$30-$40.

~2007 Chateau Lynch-Moussas, Pauillac, 5th Growth- 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot. Musky nose with leather and hints of fruit, and slightly medicinal- with berries, currant, violet-ripe with light secondary notes. Lush tannins with spice and fruit. Good now.---Good to Very Good---$38.

~2007 Château Branaire-Ducru, Saint-Julien, 4th Growth- 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc. Dense in the glass. Nose of tea, river rock, raspberry jam, cedar, and coffee- with integrated raspberry and currant fruit, slate, clove, tea, espresso, mint. Racy tannins with a long finish. Beautiful stuff with a long life ahead---Excellent---$35-$50.

~2007 Chateau Lafaurie-Peyraguey Sauternes, 1er Grand Cru Classé- 90% Semillon, 8% Sauvignon Blanc, 2% Muscadelle. Shines in the glass. Profound floral notes, mineral, key lime, and tropical fruit on the nose. Viscous texture with notes of tangerine, banana, coconut, and apricot-seamless. Lively and slightly medicinal. Decadent and long. Amazing stuff---Classic---$40-$60.

2005 Chateau Fombrauge

I recently was the recipient of an email from Green's, a large beverage retailer in Atlanta. They had secured a great deal on a few 2005 Bordeaux as the wholesaler was reducing inventory. Some of the available wines originally were priced in the $50 price range, but were on sale for more than half off. One of them was the 2005 Château Fombrauge Saint-Emilion Grand Cru.

Picking this up for $24.99, there was no guilt about opening it early and partaking in the great 2005 Bordeaux vintage for Valentine's Day. Dinner was at 10 Degrees South in Buckhead, a great little spot serving South African-influenced cuisine. (see yelp review here). The corkage fee was very fair and the sommelier provided great service. With my wife's filet in a peppercorn cream sauce and my rack of lamb, the wine was a good overall fit with dinner.

As for details of the wine- it gets 18 months in oak; is 77% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc, and 9% Cabernet Sauvignon; and the AbV is 14.5%. In the glass it is a highly extracted black-ruby color with full body. Light notes in the nose of blueberry, creme de cassis, vanillin, and oak. Blueberry and pencil shavings open on the front palate with full flavors of cedar, espresso, dried herbs, and leather in the middle, accompanied by secondary notes of dark fruit and chocolate. It finishes with coffee and black cherry with very firm tannins. It's tight but has good structure and a broad range of integrated flavors. Very nice- the complexity is very pleasurable, and with time to brighten the fruit this can reach an even higher level. Very respectable at its original price point, and quite a find at $24.99.

I've had good luck with wine store email lists; it's a great way to shop for wine. You never know what's coming down the pike next... Here's to great food and wine on Valentine's Day!

**On a side note, I'd like to thank the State of Georgia for passing the law that allows consumers to take open bottles of wine home from restaurants. It's consumer and business friendly while promoting responsible drinking.

Purchased at Green's

Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux 2007 Vintage Tasting

Atlanta was one of four U.S. stops on the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux 2007 Vintage tasting tour. Thanks to an Atlanta Wine School email, I was able to be there today experiencing a virtual tasting tour through Bordeaux. It was truly a unique opportunity to taste my way through each of the appellations-experiencing the differences in terroir and style.

From all reports, the 2007 vintage in Bordeaux was a mixed bag. A wet summer put a damper on hopes for a good overall vintage; but a sunny, cool, and dry September improved prospects and some quality wines were made. This tasting included whites and reds from Pessac-Léognan, reds from Saint-Émilion, Pomerol, Listrac-Médoc, Moulis-en-Médoc, Haut-Médoc, Médoc, Margaux, Saint-Julien, Pauillac, Saint-Estèphe, and sweet whites from Sauternes & Barsac. The Saint-Émilion were all Grand Cru Classé, and there were a good amount of classified growths among the Médoc and Sauternes offerings. I was able to taste 44 different wines.

From Pessac-Léognan my favorite white was Domaine De Chavalier- very nice hints of tropical and citrus fruit elegantly balanced with mineral and straw notes. From the reds I liked Château Larrivet-Haut-Brion with its anise, coffee, black fruit, and herbal notes; their white was good as well-very Semillon influenced. Overall the whites were more consistent than their reds. The reds were fairly muted in their fruit and astringent.

The Saint-Émilion wines were a little uneven, mostly highlighted with herbal and earthy notes. On the ones where the fruit came into balance you could see nice potential. My favorites were Château La Tour Figeac & Château Trottevielle. The Pomerol wines were big and ripe compared to the Saint-Émilion, the Merlot really standing out much more. The ones I tasted were nice but fairly simple and straightforward with fairly muted aromas. Château Clinet was a favorite here. Between Listrac and Moulis, Château Chasse-Spleen was nice- with good ripe fruit and light spice notes. Of the Haut-Médoc, Château Cantemerle stood out for its elegant balance of dark fruit and spice.

The Margaux wines were consistently very delicate and complex- many with beautiful floral and red fruit notes on the nose and complex palates of fruit, herbs, and baking spices that suggested great potential for development. Château Lascombes and Château Rauzan-Ségla were standouts here; several more were very nice as well. Moving into the Saint-Julien wines- what stood out here was the gripping tannins and fine structure. The fruit-spice balance like that of Margaux was present, but with the fruit a little more to the forefront and consistently firm tannins. Flavors like cracked pepper and coffee beans were present in some of the best of these as well. I think the Saint-Juliens were the best overall of the day- with Château Lagrange, Château Léoville Poyferré, and Château Saint-Pierre as the standouts. Their complexity and structure showing great potential. The wines of Pauillac had more brawn and masculinity- dark spice, dark fruit, and ripe tannins. Bolder and richer than Saint-Julien but with a more relaxed structure, probably a little more drinkable now. Château Lynch-Bages was the standout. Of the Saint-Estèphe wines, Château De Pez was similar in profile to the Pauillacs- big fruit and rich spice with coffee notes- nice for now. Château Lafon-Rochet was big and tannic with notes of pencil shavings, herbs, and enough fruit to suggest nice potential for development.

I finished with a few Sauternes. The flavors here seemed pretty developed-ranging from the very aromatic Château Bastor Lamontagne, whose nut-brown sweetness was very balanced with rich fruit; to the intense Château La Tour Blanche, whose dense layers reminded me of apple and lemon meringue pies with a intense tart acidity.

So for what it's worth, these are my observations of a cross section of the 2007 Boudeaux vintage. It may not be another 2005, but I'm sure I could be happy for a long time with a supply of 2007's! Thanks again to Atlanta Wine School for getting me into the loop for this fascinating tasting!