The Cellar: Bordeaux

Friday, October 09, 2015

Steffen Rasch, GoLocalWorcester Wine Writer

In preparation for the next tasting at the Providence Wine Academy I have spent the past few weeks sampling through the iconic wine region of Bordeaux; whites, reds, as well as the delectable dessert wines of Sauternes. Among the examples sampled are this week’s two featured wines; a delicious white from the Graves region and a savory red from Blaye - Côtes de Bordeaux.

Bordeaux is one of, if not THE world’s most famous wine regions. With almost 300.000 acres of vineyards (roughly 7 times that of California’s Napa Valley) Bordeaux wines can be difficult to define. The region is arguably the source of some of the rarest, most sought-after and expensive wines in the world. That said, Bordeaux is also the home of some really fantastic, value driven wines. Almost all the wines produced in Bordeaux are blends. While they might not be labeled in a manner that appeals to the American consumer (labels indicate region – not grape) the fact is that most of this vast regions’ whites and reds are made from very familiar grape varieties, including Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

The traditional white blends centers around Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon, sometimes with a splash of Muscadelle. This week’s first featured wine is from Graves, a sub-region named after its gravelly soils. More specifically, it is the 2013 Graves Blanc from Chateau Villa Bel-Air. After having acquired the Estate in 1988 the new owners have since replanted many of the Estate’s vineyards and completely renovated the winery.

The wine is a blend of 65% Sauvignon Blanc and 35% Semillon. After pressing, the juices were left to ferment in oak barrels (30% new) at low temperatures. The wine then aged on its lees for 4 months and was stirred regularly. The resulting wine whiffs of orange blossom, pear and vanilla on the nose, which turns into lemon custard and green apple on the palate - with hints of oak on the finish. This medium bodied wine is a great example of what a quality white Bordeaux brings to the table, combining the fresh, floral and acid driven Sauvignon Blanc with the richly flavored and weighty Semillon. At $25ish per bottle, this is a good value that drinks well now, can age and will gain complexity, can be sipped by itself but also holds up as a food wine.

This week’s second featured wine is a red blend from the area around the town of Blaye, a sub-region of Côtes de Bordeaux. More specifically, it is the 2012 red wine from Château Haut Colombier’ a family owned and operated Estate winery which has been making wine since 1803. The property’s 37 acres of vineyards overlooks the historic Gironde River that runs through this historic region.

The wine itself is a ‘traditional Bordeaux blend’, which means it can contain any combination of the following varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, and to a lesser extent Carmenere. While Cabernet Sauvignon is the prominent variety on the left bank of the Gironde, wines on the right bank are primarily based on Merlot. The Haut Colombier, for example, is 90% Merlot with 10% Malbec aged for 12 months in oak barrels of which 1/3 were new. The resulting $20 wine is a delicious and savory experience. The fruit is dark and rich and there is lovely herbal note, bright acidity and its slightly chewy tannins showcase the wines youthfulness.

Cheers,

Steffen Rasch is a Certified Sommelier and Specialist of Wine. Feel free to email him at [email protected] with any wine-related questions or learn about wine in person by signing up for one of his tastings at the Providence Wine Academy.

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