Bordeaux often elicits yawns in wine-lovers. A contributor on this site many years ago once described the region as “Bored-owe”, which encapsulates two emotions often associated with it. Dare I suggest that both are misplaced?
First, two out of three of my most sublime wine experiences in 5 years since I have been using CT came from Bordeaux, namely Pichon-Longueville Comtesse 1966 and Léoville-Poyferré 1982.
Second, Bordeaux wine is not inevitably expensive. It contains hundreds of less well-known châteaux producing wines selling below €10 and many even below €5. To be sure, there are a lot of poor performers in this category but experience and shopping at a good wine merchant who chooses his/her wines with skill increases substantially the chance of finding an enjoyable and good QPR one.
I concentrate in this post on a wine in the affordable category, namely Domaine de Courteillac, a Bordeaux Supérieur. The estate is located at Ruch close to the eastern extremity of the Bordeaux wine region and the wine made from Merlot 70%, CabSauv 20% and CabFranc 10%. I first came across this wine at the annual tasting of Espace Vin Pirard at Genappe near the Waterloo battlefield south of Brussels. The then owner, Dominique Méneret, was a regular visitor to present his wines, which IMO at c.€10/bottle stood out for their QPR amongst a number of other estates carefully selected by the Pirard family. I have bought many vintages from 2000 onwards and have never been disappointed. Since I have been living in France I have been pleased to find that Courteillac is stocked by the Monoprix supermarket chain, also selling at c.€10/bottle. Dominique Méneret has recently sold out to a Chinese firm but still acts as consultant.
Here are some TNs from my CT archive –
2012 Domaine de Courteillac Merlot Cabernet - France, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Supérieur (10/25/2015)I have had many of the vintages of this estate between 2000 and 2009 and I regard the wine as a good ringer for lesser St.Émilion grand cru at an affordable price of c.€10. So I did not hesitate when I saw this '12 on offer at <€9 at a Foire aux Vins. Colour was deep red. The nose was well developed with dark fruit and a touch of leather. The same aromas replayed on the medium/full bodied palate with the quite dense fruit, decent acidity and firm tannic backbone giving an overall savoury and rather dark impression. I was somewhat disconcerted towards the finish by a dry almost raw edge to the tannins which I don't recall on previous vintages and notably the '08 which was already very gracious at a similar age. I guess that more time will soften this. Good potentially.
2012 Domaine de Courteillac Merlot Cabernet - France, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Supérieur (5/19/2016)This bottle is the best of the three purchased. I now think that the first bottle was mildly flawed as the improvement is more than I would expect from about 7 months passage of time. The nose was well developed with dark fruit and a touch of leather. The same aromas replayed on the medium/full bodied palate with the quite rich fruit prevented from cloying by fresh acidity and with now ripe tannic backbone giving an overall rich but lively impression which would not disgrace a St.Émilion GC costing at least the double. I will search for more bottles.
2014 Domaine de Courteillac Merlot Cabernet - France, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Supérieur (3/6/2018)Since 2000, I have enjoyed many vintages of this wine made in the eastern part of the Entre-Deux-Mers area from Merlot 70%, Cabernet Franc 10% and Cabernet Sauvignon. It is a reliably good ringer for a lesser Saint-Émilion GC and represents remarkable QPR at <€10. This bottle of 2014, like the 2012 at a similar age, is not yet firing on all cylinders but is already good. It is medium bodied with bright berry fruit, some depth, fresh acidity and tannic backbone but not so rich, integrated and velvety as it will hopefully become in a year or so.
2014 Domaine de Courteillac Merlot Cabernet - France, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Supérieur (10/26/2018)This is already deeper and better integrated than the bottle a few months ago. More backbone I think than 2012 and it should give pleasure over the next 5 years at least. Good.
And here are some earlier TNs taken from the WLDG archive –
Sept 17, 2012Domaine de Courteillac Bordeaux Supérieur 2009 – Dominique Méneret - Alc.13.5% - (c.€10). I buy this excellent St.Émilion ringer nearly every vintage. When I first tasted this at a local wine merchant it seemed richer but also flabbier than in most vintages. However, this bottle opened with dinner showed that the rich and quite complex fruit was complemented by enough mouth-watering acidity and structure for good balance with food; well up to standard 15.5/20++
QPR.
Aug 26, 2011Bordeaux Supérieur 2005 – Domaine de Courteillac, Dominique Meneret – Alc.14% - (c.€10), made from Merlot 70%, CS and CF. This 2005 is a touch closer to jamminess and is more concentrated and structured than the 2008, which is drinking beautifully right now. I think it needs a bit more age to come into its own; 15.5/20 now.
Jan 28, 2011Domaine de Courteillac Bordeaux Supérieur 2008 – Dominique Meneret, Ruch– Alc.13.5%- (€10), from Merlot 70%, CabFranc 10%, CabSauv 20%. This 2008 is remarkably forward in its third year and fresher than the richer 2006 was about a year ago. Quite full bodied, round and juicy with a velvety feel smooth/lively acidity, good grip, decent tannic structure and avoiding the jamminess which is the besetting sin of a lot of “modern” right bank Bordeaux; 15.5/20+++QPR!
May 16, 2010Domaine de Courteillac Bordeaux Supérieur 2006 – Dominique Meneret, Ruch – Alc.13.5%- (€10), from Merlot 70%, CabFranc 10%, CabSauv 20%. I think that this 2006 is drinking better at present than the more closed, structured and oaky 2005. Quite full bodied, rich and juicy without being jammy with a velvety feel, good grip and decent tannic structure; 16/20 QPR!!
Oct 26, 2009This is a dependable estate, 70% Merlot, 20% CabSauv, 10% Cab franc, punching well above the weight of its price point and appellation. I had a disagreement on vocabulary with owner Dominique Meneret who objected when I described the 2007 as more angular and less round than the 2006; I discovered that where I say “round” (rond) he prefers “dense” and “angular” (anguleux) implies for him tannins with which 2006 more endowed albeit riper and better covered. I persist with my vocabulary.
Bordeaux Supérieur 2007 (€10) showed more acid edge to its aromas that usual and slimmer body but the fruit is expressive, acidity good and tannic structure present though lighter and more angular than the next; 14.5/20++.
Bordeaux Supérieur 2006 (€10) was rounder, richer and denser with fine fruit opening up and well covered tannic structure; 15.5/20++ QPR!
May 25, 2009Bordeaux Supérieur 2004 – Domaine de Courteillac – Alc. 13% - is a dependable stand-by for its Merlot dominated blend well up to the standard of many lesser Saint-Emilion grands crus. This was slightly less rich and complex than the 2000 and 2003 but fresher and more lively with a charcoal touch; 15.5/20++ QPR.
Oct 19, 2008Domaine de Courteillac – Bordeaux Supérieur – Dominique Meneret à Ruch – is a favourite of mine with its 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Cabernet franc; a few months ago I thought that its 2000 was a good ringer for a Saint-Emilion costing 2-3 times as much. This
2006 (€ 10) bids fair to be just as good with its complex and rich aromas, in which I found some Pinot-like cherry, its deeply caressing fruit and good grip and structure; 16/20.
From Sept 9, 2008Domaine de Courteillac AOC Bordeaux Supérieur (red) is an old friend but
2003 is now showing signs of premature evolution with fading rose aromas towards the finish on a full palate; 14.5/20.
From Jan 7, 2008Bordeaux Supérieur AOC 2000 - Domaine de Courteillac – 33350 Ruch – Alc. 13%. – (approx € 10).
There are 25 hectares of red vines at this estate, of which 70% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Cabernet franc.
C: Deep, dense, youthful red.
N: Clearly bordelais and quite complex showing deep red fruit with an acid touch and hints of cedary spice.
P: Robust, round, ripe and structured showing good darkish fruit, a touch of jam offset by brightly fresh acidity with similar aromas to the nose, good mouth-fill and fair length. This wine would easily hold its head high in a line-up of Saint-Emilion, Pomerol, Côtes de Castillon and Fronsac costing twice to three times as much. I guess that it will maintain this quality for a good few more years but, alas, I have no bottles left; 15.5/20+++.