Tasting
Bordeaux: "Generic" Bordeaux Tasting
Notes
After tasting these eight
"generic" Bordeaux –
and trying them with different foods –
I felt like I was getting a feel for them.
With the exception of the Fronsac, they
were essentially variations on a red table
wine theme. Light to medium bodied, with
straightforward fruit accented with very
light herbal and/or earthy notes. Nothing
spectacular in terms of depth, finish, or
age-worthiness, but enjoyable and showing
just a hint of what might be found in a
bigger, better (and surely more expensive)
version.
The Fronsac was different;
and honestly I’m not sure if it was
just this bottle that was particularly good,
or if Fronsacs in general are this much
better. But you can bet I’m going to
keep exploring these wines until I figure
it out! My understanding is that this 1999
Chateau Fontenil was released at around
$16. We paid $19. I would be happy with
this wine at either price.
So here are our tasting
notes:
Mouton Cadet 1998 Bordeaux
($9). I thought this was tasty – juicy
blackberry and cherry fruit with earthy
herbs and vanilla accents. Not full-bodied,
by any means; possibly not even quite medium-bodied,
but still good. Ready to drink now.
Chateau du Plantier 2000
Bordeaux ($7). This one had a nice smoothness
to the cherry and berry fruit profile. Not
spectacular, but a good straightforward
red wine that would be versatile with a
wide range of foods. Ready to drink now.
Dom. Barons de Rothschild
(Lafite) 1999 Bordeaux Reserve Speciale
($12). Good black cherry and berry fruit
with touches of sweet mineral, earth, and
herbs. Ready to drink now.
Chateau Bonnet 1999 Bordeaux
($10). I particularly liked this one –
fruity and focused, with a nice finish that
was more generous that I expected. Ready
to drink now.
Chateau Cadillac-Branda
1999 Bordeaux Superieur ($9). Gamy bouquet
and flavor to match, slightly overshadowing
the black cherry and plum fruit, picking
up a briary note on the finish. Ready to
drink now.
Chateau Le Gay 1998 Bordeaux
Superieur ($11). Light but fruity and
enjoyable, with red berry and cherry fruit
that lingered slightly on the finish. Ready
to drink now.
Chateau Robin 1998 Cotes
de Castillon ($14). Quite good! With
developed black cherry fruit, concentrated
herbs, and an appealing earthy note on the
finish. Ready to drink now.
Chateau Fontenil 1999
Fronsac ($19). Enough to make me want
to buy lots of Fronsac! Juicy red cherry
and blackberry fruit with smooth vanilla
and spicy espresso notes. Ready to drink
now and over the next year or two.
My hunch is that my perspective
on these generic Bordeaux wines will evolve
as we taste through the other regions in
this series. I plan to go back and revisit
these wines occasionally (particularly the
Fronsac) as comparisons along the way.
Now
on to the Medoc!
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