WTN: 3 Bordeaux hillside red QPR

Chateau Gigault “Cuvée Viva”, Blaye- Premiere Côtes de Bordeaux, 2010
Named to honor the owner’s daughter, Cuvée Viva is a delicious, juicy, black cherry delight, laced with espresso-cocoa-mocha and a wisp of licorice spice. Consultant Stephane Derenoncourt crafted this 100% merlot (although in some years, there is cabernet franc as well) with 40% French oak for 14 months, yet it is not ponderous with oak and the vanilla spice marries well with the black cherry. Priced in the U.S. at an average of $22.00, but available for as little as $12.99, the Cuvée Viva constitutes a lovely drink-now Bordeaux red at an exceptionally nice price.


Chateau Moya, Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux, 2010
Spotted for $19.99 in California, but available for $14.00 by the case elsewhere, the Chateau Moya is another great example of the favorable Quality-Price-Ratio of a good Côtes de Bordeaux…this time it is from the Castillon, a large AOC of nine communes east of St. Emilion devoted primarily to merlot and cabernet franc. And that’s what this wine is: 93% merlot and 7% cabernet franc, with rich berry fruit nicely finessed with silky oak, all held in a lovely acidic balance and soft, quick-maturing tannins.

Chateau Siaurac, Lalande de Pomerol, 2009
With the designation of Lalande de Pomerol, a beautiful chateau and vineyards dating back to 1832, and a long history of providing fine merlot and cabernet franc wines at an average price of $24, Chateau Siaurac is a fine example of Bordeaux rouge leaning more towards the old-world style than the new. With ripe but relatively lean black fruit from its blend of 85% merlot and 15% cabernet franc and judicious 15% French oak for 12 months, the Siaurac shows off complex black truffle, licorice, mint, and dusty herbs wrapped around fresh (rather than jammy) black cherry and blueberry.

We visited Ch Siaurac in March 2015 on a Bordeaux Viking River Cruise.

Had a informative tour of vineyard, mansion and cellars by owner Paul Goldschmidt.(pictured below) and a multi course lunch accompanied by unlimited pours of Siaurac, Ch La Prieure and Ch Vray Croix de Gay which we greatly enjoyed..

Paul pointed out the slight dip at the edge of his vineyard which denotes the line separating him from the Pomerol appellation...

ch-siarac-owner-Paul Goldschmidt..png

Thanks for that info, Peter.

Those carefully drawn appellation lines make a significant impact on revenue, don't they?

I was quite pleased with the Siaurac.

I will try to remember those names, together with some provided by Alex R, who is rarely seen on this site nowadays. Recalling good names from Bordeaux outlying appellations out of the plethoric offer is a problem for me and, I guess, for many others. Siaurac was already on my radar screen.

[David M. Bueker]

Alex is rarely seen anywhere except Facebook.

Alex is rarely seen anywhere except Facebook.

He posts quite frequently on the UK Wine Pages, including today.