Although Bordeaux is famous for its high priced wines from well-known châteaux, there is an ocean of lesser wines, especially in the appellations Bordeaux and Bordeaux Supérieur, which are becoming impossible to sell given the declining consumption of wine in France. A lot of Bordeaux wine can now only find a bulk buyer below cost at around €0,75/litre. So there is now a subsidised campaign for grubbing up 8000 hectares of vines, which many say is insufficient, up to 30000 hectares of uprooting being desirable.
Those who do not already have a reputation and want to stay in the business need to reinvent themselves. As a result I am reading about a lot of “new style” cuvées which are garnering praise in the columns of the RVF and le Figaro Vin. Some are even planting non-authorised grape varieties and are selling without the AOP. So far I have not come across any of these cuvées but when I saw this I reached for it.
The wine name “1904 Les Origines” relates to the birth date of the estate. No precise information is given of the origin of the grapes, some of which I guess may have been bought in. The estate’s address is in the Blaye area on the other side of the Gironde more or less opposite Pauillac. Incidentally the back label states “Ce vin rémunère son vigneron au juste prix”. I paid c.€8 for it but I guess that the vigneron sees much less.
2021 Jean-François Réaud 1904 Les Origines - Cabernet-Sauvignon - France, Bordeaux (27/04/2024)
Varietally labelled Bordeaux is unusual (only the back label states AOP Bordeaux but in quite small print). I bought this out of curiosity after reading about "new style" Bordeaux and noting in the seller's literature a RVF rating of 15/20 (they use the 100 point scale in their monthly magazine and annual guide!). I don't get the high rating. It is medium bodied with lively quite savoury berry fruit, an earthy touch, decent acidity and an after-taste of tar which reminds me of some Cahors, although I doubt if there is any Malbec here. Agreeable drinking in a rather austere but invigorating mode. Quite good.
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