February Wine Focus: Back to basics with Bordeaux

[Robin Garr]

Let's get in one more modest but decent Bordeaux before this short month ends ...

Chateau Saint-Sulpice 2015 Bordeaux ($18.99)

This Right Bank blend of a blend of Merlot (70%), Cabernet Sauvignon (20%) and Cabernet Franc (10%) shows blackish purple, shading through garnet to a clear edge, a young wine. Good blackcurrant scent, a marker for Bordeaux, with a subtle back note of warm spices. Blackcurrant and tart cherry on the palate, framed by palate-cleansing acidity, moderate 13 percent alcohol, and distinct but palatable tannins. Simple but balanced, a better-than-average representation of generic Bordeaux, perhaps gaining from chateau bottling and a selective importer. U.S. importer: Frederick Wildman & Sons Ltd., NYC. (Feb. 27, 2019)

FOOD MATCH: Beef, lamb, or dark game like venison are the classic matches for simple Bordeaux, and it went very well with a fine artisanal-beef hamburger from Louisville’s Red Hog butcher. Surprisingly, it went just as well with the plant-based Impossible Burger 2.0, a new veggie burger that’s a dead ringer for good ground beef.

WHEN TO DRINK: Generic Bordeaux isn’t meant for long aging, but this one is sufficiently balanced and stylish that it might be worth a cellar test in this good vintage, at least for five to seven years.

VALUE:
I got zapped for several bucks over Wine-Searcher.com's $14 average retail, but to be honest, I’d still buy it again.

WEB LINK
Here's a page about Chateau Saint-Sulpice from importer Frederick Wildman.

FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
Locate vendors and check prices for Chateau Saint-Sulpice Bordeaux on Wine-Searcher.com.

[David M. Bueker]

My tasting group met last night. I was hoping for a couple of Bordeaux (frequent occurrence with this group), but no...

Anniversary tasting at local winestore last night..14 yrs in business! 8 wines for $30, stand up 60 folks.
Where else could one drink NV Krug Rose Brut and 2008 Pontet-Canet for that price!!

Two recent clarets. Léoville-Barton is widely considered a super-second but its 2001 left me cold. By contrast unclassified Sociando-Mallet was delicious.

2001 Château Léoville Barton - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien (3/3/2019)
Up to now I have found myself admiring rather than loving the wines of L-B, in spite of its great reputation. I was hoping that 2001, which has produced so many gracious clarets, would prove different, but no! Colour was deep with little sign of age. The nose was a discreet but fine blend of red fruit, minerals and a little cedar. The palate was medium/full bodied, classically shaped building up towards the finish with savoury complexioned fruit, more minerals, smooth texture, fresh acidity and still firm tannins. The aromatics became more expressive with exposure to air but were still short of being really lovable like the Léoville-Poyferré '82 was in spades recently. The elements and balance to make a fine claret were there and probably need more time for full expression. Very good.

1996 Château Sociando-Mallet - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc (3/10/2019)
My bottles of this wine are consistently excellent. This is a model left bank claret in its way with perfect integration of gracious fruit, noble greenness, minerals and maturely firm finish. Punching well above its classification weight to the level of a 2nd or 3rd GCC and, unlike a recent a recent Léoville-Barton, lovable as well as admirable. Excellent.
Posted from CellarTracker