Bordeaux, France is a wine producing Mecca that is only rivaled by Napa Valley in the United States and that rivalry is rather young. The proximity of Bordeaux to the Garonne and Dordogne rivers along with its geographic location combine to create grape happy climates and soils filled with varying elements that make the vineyards grown in the area unique and cherished.
Bordeaux is home to over a million people throughout its metropolitan and rural areas. Bordeaux is separated into smaller areas to distinguish the diversity and the special characteristics of the grapes grown in a specific region known as Appellations. Bordeaux is home to 57 Appellations refer to this map to see all 57. There are eight famous Appellations in Bordeaux, along the left riverbank from north to south you have, Saint Estephe, Pauillac, Saint Julien, Margaux, Graves/Pessac-Leognan, and Sauternes and Barsac. On the right bank you have Pomerol and Saint Emilion, and for the sake of this article I will only refer to wines from these eight main Appellations and leave the sub-region Appellations for you to discover on your own. I will say each sub-region within the eight main Appellations strive to create unique wines distinctive to that sub-region.
Bordeaux generally produces red wines and white dessert wines, not a huge producer of dry white wine but they do produce a few notable ones. Bordeaux, France is also where the world’s most expensive wines hail from, thousands of dollars per bottle for sought after wines, some say most of the red wines from the area are over-hyped, I have had my fair share of knockout Bordeaux wines and some not so note worthy Bordeaux wines; but that is what makes exploring the wines of the region so much fun and interesting.
Below are a few stand out red wines from each of the eight main Appellations, but with over 7000 wine-producing Chateaux in all 57 regions of Bordeaux, your next great wine is only an Appellation away.
Saint Estephe Appellation – Rustic style wines due to heavy clay soils that produce full body wines.
Cos d’Estournel Saint Estephe 2003 – Starting at $199 a bottle this wonderful red Bordeaux Blend is fascinating from the smoky/floral nose to the succulent rich deep dark fruit flavors makes this wine sensational, delicious and worth every penny and pairs well with just about anything.
Cos d’Estournel 1982 – Starting at $350 a bottle this fabulous wine is from a great vintage and you can taste it all in this wine that will continue to age to perfection for another 20 years. A nice espresso, spice nose that leaves an impression on you and sweet decadent flavors of rich dark berries and plum that is very well balanced, another stand out from the region.
Chateau Cos d’Estournel Saint Estephe 2004 – Starting at around $95 this bottle of wine is a great modestly high bottle of wine that can complete with the hundreds of dollars bottle of wines from the same region. Young and complex with dark stone fruits, berries along with herbs and spices with a very nice long finish make this a steal for under a $100, especially since this wine will age well for another 20 years.
Calon Segur 2006 – Starting at around $55 a bottle, this very young fresh wine will be at its peak in about 7-30 years, it already exhibits a nice silky tannin well balanced blend that reminds me of a sweeter less sophisticated version of Opus One from Napa Valley.
Pauillac Appellation – Known for the structure of their wines along with their elegant blends and ripe fruits and minerals.
Chateau Latour Pauillac 1982 – Starting at $2500 this is vintage produced some of the best Bordeaux wines of recent memory. Obviously for $2500 a bottle this wine better be a knock out and it is, hands down winner to knock your socks off. A nose of roasted meats and chocolate and tobacco, makes you feel like you’re in some out of this world steak house that leads to dark ripe sweet plum and dark berries that continue to evolve on the palette for a long time, an almost surreal wine experience.
Chateau Pichon-Longueville Baron 2000 – Starting at $150, this wine has a nice nose and rich deep flavors that finish strong and balanced, would pair well with a number of lamb dishes or venison.
Chateau Pontet-Canet Pauillac 2004 – Starting at $50, this young fresh well balanced Bordeaux is rather delicious and a great bargain. A nice medium body unfolds an array of flavors from plum to black current and Mediterranean fruits with a bold dark color a true stand out for the price.
Saint Julien Appellation – Known for rich dark berry flavors and suppleness.
Chateau Leoville las Cases St-Julien Grand Cru Classe 2003 – Starting at $172 a bottle the sweet licorice and floral laced nose leads to delicious and big bold flavors of black currents and spices with a supply long finish, perfect for pairing with beef.
Chateau Lagrange St. Julien 2003 – Starting at around $42 a bottle, this rather complex Bordeaux wine for the price that is delicious, with a strong licorice nose and mineral and ripe berry and spice flavors that are well extremely balanced.
Margaux Appellation – Known for their delicate wines that are infused with floral and berries.
Chateau Margaux 1982 – Starting at $520 a bottle this Margaux standout that is silky smooth and complex, a nose of oak, berries and licorice that is fully concentrated in the taste that is well balanced with a long finish, there is a lot going on in this wine, really enjoyable.
Chateau Brane-Cantenac Margaux 2004 – Starting at $42 a bottle, this young bright bold wine if full of aromas, flavors and character, a must try for such a modest price for this better than good Bordeaux.
Chateau la Mission-Haut-Brion Pessac-Leognan 2005 – Starting at $375 this red Bordeaux has a uniquely delicate yet bold structure that is light on initial taste and plays out fully on its long finish. A nose of cedar, smoke and fruit lead to similar flavors of dark fruits and spices that are complex and well balanced.
Pomerol Appellation – Known for the regions Merlot grape growing vineyards these wines are deep rich and refined.
Certan de May Pomerol 1982 – Starting at $440 a bottle this well balanced deep succulent blend has powerful fruity flavors that continue to evolve and linger on the palette.
Chateau la Fleur de Bouard 2005 – Starting at $35 a bottle this rich and dense Bordeaux blend is delicious and well balanced. This medium body wine is full of young resinous dark fruits with an intense nose.
Saint Emilion Appellation – Known for its ripe Cabernet Franc grapes.
Chateau Magrex Fombrauge 2000 – Starting at $312 a bottle this fat, intensely rich concentrated Bordeaux Blend is full of succulent red fruits and berries that is surprisingly well balanced with a long tannic finish.
Chateau Dassault St.Emilion 1999 – Starting at $30 this surprisingly sophisticated wine has a heavy oak nose with the taste of ripe red fruits and other dark stone fruits and creamy oak with a rather long finish and light tannins.
