Bordeaux is a large, diverse winegrowing region on France’s southwestern coast. Its annual production is nearly ten times that of Burgundy, and its expensive, long-lived red wines from famous chateaux dominate the region’s headlines. (We even have a few in this month’s Futures). But for the careful drinker, Bordeaux’s enormous range of wines offers some affordable, early maturing gems as…
Category: Bordeaux
Value in Saint-Emilion: 2010 Chateau Montlisse
Prices in Bordeaux have never been higher, fed by increasing global demand, particularly from China. With next month’s en primeur release of the highly anticipated 2015s, the trend upward will likely continue. With value on the mind, we often seek out second wines of famous vineyards, or secondary properties from famous winemakers.
A Local Suggestion in Bordeaux.
“How do you find your winemakers?” is probably the most common question we’re asked. The best answer is that we trust the locals whenever we can. Sometimes this means recommendations from vignerons we already work with; sometimes it is customers with vineyard connections. But our favorite source is often the local wine list.
Sauternes: the Iconic Dessert Wine.
As fashions change, dessert wines have become a dwindling part of collectors’ inventories. But no serious cellar is complete without them. We think everyone -- even casual wine enthusiasts -- should have at least one dessert wine in their arsenal; and if it’s going to be just one, it should be Sauternes.
2010 Saint-Emilion Grand Cru
With Thanksgiving but a few days away, delicious smells have begun to emerge from our kitchen. One of cooking’s most intoxicating aromas comes from a process called the Maillard reaction. First identified by Frenchman Louis Camille Maillard in 1912, it’s the flavor most often associated with browned meat, though it’s also found in bread crusts, chocolate, dark beers, and coffee…
Value in Saint-Emilion: 2010 Chateau Montlisse
Prices in Bordeaux have never been higher, fed by increasing global demand, particularly from China. We’re always looking for value in Bordeaux, and we often find it in second wines of famous vineyards, or secondary properties from famous winemakers. These wines command much more reasonable prices, but are still the products of masterful winemakers and excellent terroir.
2002 St. Emilion Grand Cru
The effect of time on wine is one of the culinary world’s great magic tricks. Timing and conditions are crucial, and with patience and cellar space in short supply, well-aged wines are increasingly rare. Older French wines in the US have often been stored poorly, or have changed hands so many times they include layers upon layers of markups.
11-Year-Old Pomerol.
Wine classification can be confusing -- categorization and branding changes dramatically from one region to another. For example, the Old World tends to identify wines by place, while the New World tends to use grape varietal. It seems a minor shift, but it has enormous implications for the way people perceive wines.
2010 Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classé
We crossed the Alps from Italy to Switzerland yesterday via the Simplon Pass. The crossing is dotted with ancient stone houses that call to mind the Europe of thousands of years ago. It was yet another reminder from this trip of just how old these regions are.