A find. Burgundy and Bordeaux are the two giants of French wine. In nearly every aspect — style, tradition, grape varietal, scale — they are opposites. Ansonia’s scale fits far better into Burgundy than Bordeaux; but the wines of Bordeaux continue to intrigue us, and we’re always on the hunt for something new there.
This summer we were excited to discover a property in St-Estèphe called the “Fleuron de Liot.” A small-scale family domaine farms this tiny 1.5 acre plot of equal parts Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. They don’t make much of it, and it has never been exported to the US. We don’t claim long experience in Bordeaux, but we have no doubt that this is an exceptionally well-made wine that’s also a bargain.
Left Bank. The catch with much of Bordeaux is its need for cellaring, but this wine provides a bit of wiggle room for two reasons. First, the price: at under $30/bot, precise timing isn’t crucial for a satisfying return on investment — this is delicious now and will be even better in five years. Second, vintage: Bordeaux-philes consider 2014 the finest vintage since 2010. Particularly in the Haut Medoc towns of Paulliac and St-Estèphe, the year produced ripe, forward wines that will drink well without lengthy cellaring.
Today this wine is inky and dark, with plum and dark cherries in the nose. The mouth is dense and full, with solid ripe tannins and low oak, notes of cedar and licorice, and a long, velvety texture. The tannins are rich, dense and supple, rather than harsh or dry. We expect the wine to improve for another 5-7 years.
Should you need a bottle for a steak in your near future, decant this for 4-5 hours (yes hours) and it will make lots of friends. Five years from now (if you have any left) this should be a beautiful, mature, classic Left Bank Bordeaux — and we bet you’ll wish you had more of it.
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FLEURON DE LIOT Saint-Estèphe 2014
Ansonia Retail: $35
case, half-case: $29/bot
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AVAILABLE IN 6- AND 12- BOTTLE LOTS
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or call Tom: (617) 249-3657
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Terms of sale. Ansonia Wines MA sells wine to individual consumers who are 21 or more years of age, for personal consumption and not for resale. All sales are completed and title passes to purchasers in Massachusetts. Ansonia Wines MA arranges for shipping on behalf of its customers upon request and where applicable laws permit.
