Bordeaux, just like Champagne, is a wine which
is named after its region. When you see a Bordeaux wine, it is usually a
blend of any or all of the five traditional Bordeaux varieties:
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec.
Similar red blends can be found outside of France as well- California
Meritage and Italian Super Tuscans are a few examples of Bordeaux style
wines.
Red Bordeaux blends are
known for their bold, dark fruit flavours as well as their firm and
tannic structure. Plum, black currant and sweet berries are usually used
to describe the deep, ripe flavours of Bordeaux...and because these
tend to be high in tannin, many can stand to age for quite some time- a
few decades for some of the finer specimens.
This 2009 Chateau
De Costis- Grand Vin De Bordeaux was initially a little thin for my
liking. After letting the open bottle sit for half an hour or so, the
depth and complexity began to develop. Even still, this is probably the
thinnest bodied and most fruit-forward Bordeaux I have ever tried, which
makes it a great wine to accompany a meal but not the best stand-alone
wine like other Bordeaux blends I prefer. It is still a bargain at $8.99
a bottle and goes to show that you do not have to break the bank to try
a nice French wine!
2007 Conn Creek Anthology, Meritage*. This is a
prime example of a beautiful California Meritage blend, with a
deliciously sweet blueberry aroma coupled with smooth black fruit
flavors with just the right touch of acidity and pepper on the body.
This wine is full without being too bold, nice and balanced with a long,
semi-dry finish. It is elegant and just complex enough.
This photo was taken at one
of my favourite local gastropubs. Their selections are fantastic and I
am consistently pleased with the quality of their wine service. I feel
that many other venues can take service lessons from this crew. At Chapter One: the modern local, Downtown Santa Ana.
*Meritage is a California wine based on a Bordeaux-style blend, meaning
it is a mix of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot and
Cabernet Franc. (The five traditional varieties from Bordeaux, France)
