This past week our local NSLC celebrated Bordeaux week. Now the Bordeaux wine region of France can be intimidating. Before I started my wine studies I stayed away from the French aisle at the liquor store, because honestly, I wasn’t sure what I was buying. France tends to label their wines by region, not by the grape. It wasn’t until I started studying wine that I learned what grapes are dominant in each part of France.
I love Bordeaux wines, and would love to visit the region one day. Bordeaux wines are always blends. The dominant white grape is either Sauvignon Blanc or Semillion, or a blend of both, and the dominant red grape is either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot. And whether your wine comes from the Right bank or Left bank of Bordeaux, it tends to contain both Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, the dominant grape is determined by region. But again the reds are always blends. Looking through the Bordeaux region in a wine store can be an eye-opener as well as some of these wines are in the hundreds of dollars, even thousands of dollars. But Bordeaux has had to come to the party if they wanted to compete with great tasting wines that all of us can afford.
I’d like to share some of them with you this week.
I loved this white wine And I promised my white wine loving friends that I would share a white Bordeaux wine. This is a blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillion, Sauvignon Gris and Muscadelle that offers great acidity and a wonderful fruity mouth feel. It’s a steal of a deal at $22 a bottle
I tried a couple of beautiful reds from Bordeaux as well
The Les Charmes de Medoc is from the Left Bank of Bordeaux, Cabernet Sauvignon being the dominant grape. Barton & Guestier had been making wine in Bordeaux since 1725. I had the 2015 vintage, and honestly it could age a year or two, utwas a little dry on the palate. Great value though for $23 a bottle.
Now this selection was over the moon fantastic. Chateau Faizeau Montagne Saint Emilion is Merlot dominant from the Right Bank of Bordeaux. I could sit and enjoy this wine sip by sip all evening long. The grapes are hand harvested and Remontage takes place, which means the wine is pumped over the skins again to get full colour and full flavour. This is one of my favourite wines from Bordeaux and it is a really good price at $38 a bottle.
My wine of the week is a 2013 beauty
Château Cantenac won the honour of Wine of the week, not because it’s a couple of dollars cheaper than the one above, but because it is so mature and so good tasting. It is silky and full-bodied on the palate, rich ripe fruit and in my opinion the perfect wine for steak, grilled meats and hearty stews. Totally worth the $36 price tag.
Have a great weekend and till next week, Cheers
Darlene
Wine-It’s Just My Opinion 