Nice cheap and funky Bordeaux

Fourth day at the lake, I am finally going online to see what’s up. Great thread about buying wine in France.

Early December is such a bewitching time in the New York State North Woods. The skiers are not yet here in abundance and the ice on our lake is still too iffy for getting out onto it, so there are no snowmobilers or even X-country tracks. Nothing but a white blanket with the silence it brings. Not a soul around.

Day after day of glorious food and Bordeaux. I always intend to vary it, but when it is time to descend to the downstairs—which functions as a wine cellar, half ensconced in the slope to the lake, since the woodstove is on the main level—Bordeaux always beckons first.

Lately my wife and I vary it between the cheapest and near best, providing wonderful bookends. Usually about four days of cheap and then a “good” one. But, the more we experiment, the more difficult it is to decide which end we like best. Either we are more receptive, or this modern winemaking spread is really making a positive difference.

The night before last, Lynn and I opened a 2003 Chateau Tour de Guiet, a Cote de Bourg. The bottle cost $12 in Saratoga! I can’t imagine how little it would have cost in New York City. But it was wonderful. We drank it along side a 1999 de Fieuzal. One was not better than the other, to us, just very different. The TdG was like a walk in the woods. First an amazingly plush aroma of herbs and forest-like smells followed by a gamy, meaty blast, which made me feel like I had just happened on a freshly gutted deer. The finish was longer than that of the Graves.

I know that a lot of folks don’t like gamy, earthy, funky, underbrushy “flavors”; but for those who do, there are so many new and exciting inexpensive Bordeaux wines that give it. I mentioned before that I was surprised that the inexpensive 2000s are becoming so earthy. La Cardonne and l-Argenteyere are wonderful examples. Last night a 1999 Malescot provided elegance and the most wonderful cab. But it took us a while to be able to appreciate it after getting used to the stronger smells of the “unsung heroes,” as Sherry-Lehmann refers to such inexpensive Bordeaux wines.

Thanks for the notes, Covert!

We had the other night a modest ($25) 2005 Cotes de Castillon Merlot ) that was just outstanding-smooth, earthy, leathery, nice black fruit, oak in balance, tannins approachable, great acidity. Tasted nothing like a stereotypical American wine.

Now $25 is not cheap by any means, but basic "boutique" Napa Merlot is generally in this range, so...I was pretty happy. There might be a nice upside potential, too, 'cause there seemed to be some structure nonetheless.

Thanks for the notes, Covert!

We had the other night a modest ($25) 2005 Cotes de Castillon Merlot ) that was just outstanding-smooth, earthy, leathery, nice black fruit, oak in balance, tannins approachable, great acidity. Tasted nothing like a stereotypical American wine.

Now $25 is not cheap by any means, but basic "boutique" Napa Merlot is generally in this range, so...I was pretty happy. There might be a nice upside potential, too, 'cause there seemed to be some structure nonetheless.

And thanks for your notes, Brian. Yes, I have also had some really good luck with Cotes de Castillon and 2005 inexpensive Bordeaux. Thinking the same thing as you, I am laying some of these 2005s down for a few years just to see how they turn out. From the nice evolution with the inexpensive 2000s that I mentioned, I might expect even more from the 2005s, since the vines had to reach deeper during the interim drought.

The wine label is "Odace" Sorta fuzzy modern art on the label. Pascal Wine Imports.