The 2015 is back!
You don't need to break the bank to drink classic Bordeaux!
Bordeaux and I go way back. Pulling the cork on those first few bottles of Bordeaux years ago helped launch me on a life-long love and appreciation of wine. The spellbinding history and culture of Bordeaux captivated me, and I was absolutely mesmerized by the wines. There’s something special about classic, traditional, Bordeaux, and the mere mention of the name conjures images of majestic châteaux with endless rows of vines — the feeling that you’re drinking history!
Unfortunately, for some, Bordeaux can also conjure images of expensive wines only available to collectors and “wine snobs.” Much like the Champagne region, Bordeaux has really out-done itself in the marketing department, leaving many wine lovers with the feeling that Bordeaux is too far out of their price range, too hard to understand, and only for rare special occasions. Not true I say! There’s a wealth of very affordable Bordeaux just waiting to be enjoyed with your next casual meal that will also be right at home at your next dinner party.
Bordeaux Classification
The first thing to understand about Bordeaux is that it’s not all exclusive and expensive. Wines in France are generally classified by place rather than grape, making it a little more of a challenge to decipher the labels. French wine regions will start with a broad, general classification and gradually drill down to progressively smaller designations based on location and quality. The graphic above illustrates that premise in Bordeaux.
Almost all of the wines in the region can use the Bordeaux designation. Bordeaux Supérieur, as the name suggests, offers a wine with some quality advantages. Although Bordeaux Supérieur covers the identical geographic region, these wines generally come from older vine plots and are aged significantly longer in the bottle. Médoc and Haut-Médoc drill down to more specific locations and while they can be a great deal, they don’t usually appear in the bargain price range.
The most famous Bordeaux properties are the Classified Properties, known as Grands crus classés en 1855 Médoc & Sauternes. All of the famous names often dropped in books, the movies, and the wine press are part of this group — names like Château Lafite Rothschild, Château Latour, Château Margaux, Château Haut-Brion, Château Mouton Rothschild, Château Léoville Las Cases, Château Brane-Cantenac, Château Pichon-Longueville-Baron, and the list goes on. While these are the expensive and exclusive wines of Bordeaux, they make up less than 5% of the region’s production.
Located in the small town of Blasimon, Château De Cugat stands upon a hill overlooking the village. In 1926, the property was acquired by the grandmother of winemaker Benoit Meyer. When Benoit began overseeing the estate in the early nineties, he dreamed of making a wine that would make people think they were drinking something from an area loftier than the humble Entre-Deux-Mers. Not too difficult, since part of his vineyard was between 40 and 50 years old and had a mixture of sand and gravel soil, much like parts of nearby famous vineyards of Pomerol!
In the glass, you know you’re drinking classic, traditional Bordeaux. The nose is rich, round and inviting, while ripe blackcurrant, cherry, vanilla, spice, and subtle smoke notes converge on the supple medium-bodied palate. The tannins are silky and well-integrated, the finish is long and invites another sip.
This blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon represents a wonderful introduction to Bordeaux for those new to the region, and for the Bordeaux aficionado, it’s a great value from a superb vintage.
2015 Château De Cugat
Bordeaux Supérieur
Entre Deux Mers, Bordeaux, France - Can't make it in? Call 828-253-0060 with your credit card number.
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