Medium cherry/copper, this wine exudes mouth-watering strawberry, citrus and watermelon aromas. The flavours are interesting: cherry and strawberry with a distinct touch of hazelnut. At a picnic, this will stand up to roast beef. Will peak next year.
The grapes for Thomas Bachelder’s Burgundy expression were sourced from the Côte du Beaune and produced at Alex Gambal’s winery. It is certainly the most mineral-laden of the 3 wines and the tightest at the moment. It reveals notes of citrus, stone fruits, acacia blossom, and limestone minerality. It’s bathed in wet-stone minerality on the palate with lemon, lime, stone fruits and green pear, and underlying spice on the palate. An elegant and pure expression of Chardonnay to round out the trilogy of wines from Bachelder.
A pretty consistent Bordeaux Supérieur with a nose of plums, blackberry, leather, smoke, cedar and spice. It’s soft on the palate with a balanced approach from the fruit and light oak spice. Serve with rib-eye steak.
The southwest of France delivers a lot of great value wines and this little beauty from Rigal certainly over-delivers in that category. Shows ripe plum, cassis, toast and oak on the nose. It’s soft and savoury on the palate with roasted coffee bean, dark fruits and liquorice notes. Serve with roasted meats or mature cheeses.
Not a typical vintage for Bordeaux, but this red blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon from the Medoc shows some nice plum, blackberry and toasted oak notes on the nose. It’s a leaner style, with cranberry/cherry, blackberry fruits, roasted coffee bean, vanilla, good acidity and supple tannins. A very nice pairing with grilled red meats.
Red Burgundy can be an expensive hobby, but occasionally I come across a wine that has all the hallmarks of costly Burgundy at an affordable price. Ruby-garnet in colour, the bouquet is earthy, with raspberry and a hint of violets and coffee beans. It’s dry, light bodied, firmly structured and remarkably elegant for the price.
Fine spice and developed fruit on the nose show Bordeaux breed. Still youthful dark fruit, austere tannins and forward acidity need time to soften, but authentic, earthy Bordeaux terroir comes through. Give it 3-plus years in the cellar.