TonghamTaster's Wine Tasting Course Week 3 – Bordeaux Left Bank Reds

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Introduction

Evidence of our research!

For our third week we are on to some of the best red wines in the world – the wonderful Medocs from above Bordeaux and my favourite Graves from below Bordeaux. These are the wonderful Cabernet Sauvignon blends that the rest of the world from Australia to Chile and California try to copy.

Locality
These wines are from the left bank of the Gironde estuary and Garonne river above and below the city of Bordeaux.

Varietals
The left bank wines tend to be dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon, although some Chateaux and appellations also contain a significant amount of Merlot. Other grape varieties that are allowed and used include Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot.

Not all the wines will have their grape varietals on the label; if not visit the website of the Chateau and you may get more detail.

 The Wines

Where better to start than the Haut Medoc which covers the area from St Estephe south to Bordeaux. This area contains many of Bordeaux’s most famous Chateau and all but one of the 1855 classification of classed growths. This classification was based on wine prices at the time and tried to determine the best left bank wines. Because the quality of wine is at least partly determined by position of the vineyard it is still relevant today. Haut Medoc is an AOC itself but its general area also contains many other famous AOCs such as Pauillac, Margaux, St Julien, Listac-Medoc, Moulis en Medoc and St Estephe. These wines can be magnificent but often expensive and need ageing to be at their best. North of the Haut Medoc is the Medoc which tend to be wines of slight lower quality.

Most of the Cru Classe wines tend to be irrelevant to the normal wine drinker due to their inflated prices which can be hundreds of pound a bottle. However, this region can still be of interest to us and good quality and value can be had from the Cru Bourgeois designation which is on the labels of over 200 Medoc Chateaux. As usual it is a guide that cannot be totally relied on but I find that you usually get reasonable value for the price from most Cru Bourgeois wines. The designation includes top examples such as Chateau Chasse-Spleen which are rated Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnels, through examples like Chateau Maucaillou which are rated Cru Bourgeois Superieurs, to examples such as Chateau Haut Canteloup which are just labelled Cru Bourgeois. You will find examples of Cru Bourgeois in wine shops such as Majestic and occasionally in the supermarkets, most notably Waitrose which has an excellent selection of French wines.

The other main area of left bank Bordeaux reds is the area south of Bordeaux. This is the gravelly area called Graves. Most of the top expensive wines from here come from the AOC Pessac-Leognan which is the area very close to the city and suburbs of Bordeaux and contains the classed growth Chateau Haut-Brion. There are also 16 Grand Cru Classe de graves within the Pessac Leognan appellation which date from a 1950’s classification rather than the main 1855 classification. The other wines, outside of Pessac-Leognan, are just classified AOC Graves. Whereas the Medoc region produces almost entirely red wines, the Grave regions also produces white and also sits very close to the sweet white producing areas of Sauternes and Barsac. The red wines of Graves have a subtlety different taste to the Medocs, a juicy, soft and earthy taste that many people including myself really like. There are also some great up and coming Chateau such as Villa Bel Air that taste really good without costing over £25.

The Taste
So what should we expect from these left bank Bordeaux reds. The Cabernet Sauvignon will give the wines a classic blackcurrant and even minty taste, the Merlot will add black cherry and plum and the Cabernet Franc some raspberry and tobacco. The younger wines will be very tannic and thus astringent but this will soften with age. Age will also bring on the non-fruit flavours such as leather. These wines are not always as approachable as new world wines or the right bank Bordeaux reds and it may take you a while to appreciate them.

Red Wine Ageing in the Graves - Chateau Plantat

Top Tips

• If looking to buy a left bank Bordeaux red you can often get quality and value by buying a Chateau with the Cru Bourgeois designation on the label. Good quality and value wines can also be obtained from the Graves AOC.
• Most good Bordeaux need at least 5 years ageing and sometimes 10 years before drinking. Some cheaper Bordeaux can be drunk younger after some aeration.

Homework
Unfortunately, your homework this week could cost a little more but you should find the experience rewarding and you will only learn by tasting. Do buy and try one of the following wines or pick a Cru Bourgeois Medoc or Graves wine of your own:

Majestic – Chateau Griviere 2001 – Cru Bourgeois Medoc – about £12 or £8 if you buy two bottles.
or Majestic – Chaeau Lachesnaye 2002 or 2004 – Cru Bourgeois Haut-Medoc – about £10 or £7 if you buy 2 bottles
or if you don’t want to buy 6 bottles (as Majestic require a minimum buy):
Waitrose – Chateau Moulin Riche 2006– Cru Bourgeois Saint Julien – about £18
or Waitrose – Chateau Haut Nouchet 2005 – Pessac Leognan – about £14

Food Pairing
The wines of the left bank are great with food and particularly lamb so try this with any lamb dish from roast lamb to lamb chops. I’d particularly suggest a nice mint and parsley encrusted rack of lamb, still pink in the middle. Enjoy!

Coming Soon
Next week we are on to the dry whites of Bordeaux.
If you have just caught up with our wine course it is not too late to catch up:
Week 1 Bordeaux basics

Week 2 Right Bank Bordeaux Reds