Archive for the ‘Bordeaux’ Category
Varietal: 50% Semillon; 50% Sauvignon Blanc
Region: France – Bordeaux
Cost: $12
Winemaker’s Notes: An elegant pale yellow colour, green at rim, with a nose of white blossom and citrus fruit, these aromas melting into the ample, supple palate. A discreetly fizzy sensation imparts vibrancy and freshness to rich, fleshy extract. Pairs well with chicken and seafood such as shellfish.
My Review: On a recent trip to my local Fresh Market, there was a small selection of wines (2 wines to be specific) being poured. One was a Malbec blend, and the other was the 2010 Sirius Bordeaux Blanc. Impressed enough with it and the price, I grabbed a bottle to take home to my wife. I’m thoughtful that way.
We actually opened the bottle first on Sunday and enjoyed a glass on the deck while getting some sun and reading, but make sure to save some for dinner the next night to pair with some pesto tilapia with risotto and sauteed spinach from the local farmer’s market. On the first day I got a lot of the Sauvignon Blanc aromas that I would expect, lime and grapefruit mostly, and even in the palate at first I started to question whether the bottle was lying to me on it being a 50/50 blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon, but instead of the citrusy, acid finish that I’ve come to expect from even the most mellow of Sauvignon Blancs I got a more subtle mineral note that was quite refreshing, especially on a hot afternoon on the deck.
Varietal: Blended Red (Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot)
Region: Virginia – Charlottesville – USA
Cost: $14
Deep ruby red color with aromas of fruit and berry with a hint of spice. Flavors of blackberry, blackcurrant, licorice, and spice. Pairs well with pastas, veal and beef stews, cheeses, and hearty main dishes.
Recommendations: One of the last bottles of wine I have from that March trip to Virginia Wine Country. Seemed fitting to open it during Virginia Wine Month. There’s something about a nice dark glass of wine that I find enjoyable, and the 2005 Albemarle Simply Red from Kluge Estate Winery certainly fit the bill. The aromas of fruit, berry, and spice, which lead into nice flavors of the same, were a nice match to the pizza I cooked up on Tuesday after a trip out to the driving range with my wife and best friend.
While I don’t know the exact percentages of each grape in the blend (I have an idea based on the 2006 vintage of the wine, but won’t write it down if I don’t know it for a fact), I could definitely tell that Read the rest of this entry »
Varietal: Blended Red Wine – Bordeaux Blend
Region: France
Cost: $12
Medium dark red in the glass with aromas of currant and cherry. Crushed red berries in the mouth with a subtle finish that pairs well with meat dishes.
Recommendations: As you know, I’ve been trying to expand my knowledge of French wines. Because of this, whenever I go and visit my local wine shop I’ve been asking for suggestions on French wine as the owner knows far more about French wine than I do (I can admit my shortcomings). On a recent trip there he suggested the Chateau Grimard Bordeaux and I, like a good wine writer, took him up on his suggestion.
In a rare move, I drank this wine over two days, opening the bottle one night to drink with my dinner, and then finishing it the following evening by itself. The dinner on the first night of tasting consisted of nothing more than some wheat pasta in a chunky red sauce. While it would have been great to do some French cuisine with my French wine, I a) know how to cook, but French cooking isn’t really where my strength lies, and b) wasn’t motivated to do much more than boil water. Read the rest of this entry »
Varietal: Blended Red Wine (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec)
Region: Napa, California – USA
Cost: $25
Deep color on this “Bourdeaux Blend” with silky flavors of fruit. Excellent body that pairs well with most meats or with a group of friends.
Recommendations: Well, it’s official – the last bottle from my October trip to California is finally gone. A moment of silence if we could….thank you. I had been eying my bottle of Trefethen Double T more and more recently, trying to decide what to drink it with. A recent grocery shopping trip made up my mind when my wife and I picked up a pair of excellent beef roasts.
Dark in the glass and with amazing flavors of fruit that were both silky and bold at the same time, the Double T was a great compliment to the beef, potatoes, and carrots that were my dinner on Saturday. As is my usual standard for excellent wine, the Double T was just as enjoyable after the meal was gone as it was during. Read the rest of this entry »
Varietal: Bordeaux (60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc)
Region: France
Cost: $20.50
Ruby red in color with soft aromas with flavors to match. Crushed berries and cedar on the nose are a lead into a smooth, slightly fruity medium-bodied red. Pairs well with chicken, pork, and veal.
Recommendations: My first impression of this wine was that it wasn’t what I was expecting. When I first got the bottle, I was excited about a bit, bold Bordeaux to pair with a steak or some pasta (which is what I did pair it with). That is not the wine I drank.
Smooth and subtle is probably the best way to describe this wine, and whereas I had thought I was going to get large, full-bodied wine, instead I got a medium-bodied wine that wasn’t disappointing in and of itself, but certainly was a let-down compared to what I thought I would be drinking.
Now, that being said, this is still a very good wine. However, if you’re expecting a full-bodied wine, you may want to look elsewhere, as this certainly isn’t it.
Special thanks to the International Wine of the Month Club for supplying the wine for this review.
