On
Thursday, September 24, 2013, Auburn Spirits held a Bordeaux tasting for newly
released wines. Seven wines were tasted – one white and six
red, along with snacks of cheese, bread, crackers and grapes. Additionally, each person got to keep the
Riedl glass they used to taste the wines.
Here were the wines (Prices are normal retail).
1.
Château
Marac Bordeaux Blanc | 2011 | Grand Vin de Bordeaux $15.99
This white had a nice nose, floral bouquet with hints of
tropical fruits. The flavor had a big acid flux, almost a pucker on first sip,
but it balanced nicely into flavors of green apple, fig and tropical hints.
Smooth finish, this is a polished wine that doesn’t overpower but would
compliment many dishes, like chicken.
2.
Château
Les Combes | 2009 | Bordeaux Supérieur $15.99
Decent nose of fruit and bramble – color was a little light,
more Burgundy than Bordeaux. The wine
had hints of lilac/lavender and bramble with light red berries. Aftertaste was
minimal; this is a beginner’s Bordeaux or a good lunch wine at a bistro. Not a bad wine, just not a memorable one.
3.
Château
Fage | 2010 | Graves de Vayres $19.99
Much darker than the previous wine – a bigger nose of dark
fruits, mostly berry. The flavor echoed the nose, dark berry, a mossy woods
type of flavor; chewier wine, some tannins with a long aftertaste. Maybe a
touch extracted in flavor, would age nicely – 3 to 5 years.
4.
Terra
Burdigala Roc de Jean Lys | 2010 | Bordeaux Supérieur $19.99
Nice dark color, nose a little closed in the beginning,
opened up to berry and plums. This wine had a big mouthfeel, full of plum,
currant, hints of rose and red berry flavors with a nice long aftertaste. Not
heavily tannic, but well structured and would age well for a number of years.
Very nice bottle of wine.
Does the name Stephane Derenoncourt ring a bell? If
you have enjoyed our internet specials in the past, it probably does. We
have offered at least 3 wines that have been under his name! In 2010 he
was dubbed by Wine Spectator as the "world's hottest winemaker!"
For this project, Derenoncourt coupled with Francois
Thienpont. Thienpont's resume consists of work at top Bordeaux estates
such as; Vieux Chateau Certan and Chateau Le Pin. These are some of the
finest wines the right bank Bordeaux has to offer! Now, you may be asking
yourself..."if these guys are so good, why are they producing value
Bordeaux?"
Answer:
They created Roc de Jean Lys simply to make the fruits of their
high standards and practices accessible. They gathered together a group of
winegrowers who believed in the same high standards of quality; respect for
nature, low yields and wines with real authenticity. Together they seek to
produce not only one of the best values in Bordeaux, but throughout the
world.
Nice dark color, big nose of red berry and dark fruits. Wine is tasty, chewy, tanic with big red
fruits. Touch of pucker in the first taste, balances out to the fruit, raisin
and cigar box. Tannins on the long finish, worth holding on to for several
years, although it is tempting to drink now with a slab of red meat.
6.
Château
Greysac | 2009 | Medoc $27.99
Dark color – the wine has a good nose, cedar and red fruits.
Good mouthfeel, dark berry, cedar, some herb. Nicely balanced wine, good with
food and will age a little while – not too tannic.
7.
Château
Les Grands Maréchaux | 2009 | Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux $27.99
Very nice deep color, big fruity nose. Flavors of raspberry, cedar, black cherry and
hints of licorice. Nice mid-palate, pleasant long aftertaste without a lot of
tannins. Really well built wine with great aging potential. One of those “wow”
moments with this wine, would be a great bottle years from now.
