When I first started this blog, I was mainly writing about my favorite wines from France: Bordeaux, and Burgundy. As my blog progressed and demand grew from readers to learn about wines they didn’t know much about, I’ve covered the entire world of wine. We’ve focusing on wines that deserve our attention, and championing small winemakers. In doing so, we are helping smaller vineyards and great winemakers find their fan base, and also helping wine lovers find bottles with great quality-price ratio, while building personal relationships with the winemakers whose work they enjoy, which is all great!
But Bordeaux wines are often behind on the page, since they are SO well known, these Chateaux with centuries of history. Yet I long for them, as I still love French wines!
So when I had an opportunity to go taste some recent vintages of Bordeaux, of course I said yes! Other than what I have in my cellar, it’s been two years since I tasted some of these wines, and I was excited to see how the Chateaux are sustaining and how the vintages I’ve tasted before have matured! Included is a touch of research: these wines are readily available and we’ve listed average prices estimates from what is found from top sellers across the USA.
Cos D’Estournels Goulée (Bordeaux Blanc) 2015, $35
The 2015 is semillon forward in the blend, but the fruit has transitioned from forward on the palate to beguiling aromatics, balance and gossamer mouthfeel with restrained acidity and focus. The creamy and savory quality of this wine, showing restrained fruit, is sometimes more appreciable by collectors and oenophiles, as aged Bordeaux Blanc is uncommon and the lack of fruit on the palate can be a surprise. I find it an opportunity for pairing with delicate savory flavors: broiled or grilled fish in a butter or cream sauce, or with soft rind cheeses like a double cream brie or goat cheese.

Petite Haut Lafitte 2014, $39
From Pessac-Léognan, this second wine of Smith-Haut Lafitte is my pick for the highest quality-to-price ratio. In the mouth it has a slightly modern style to the blend, an old world meets new world balance with mature red fruit up front, solid tannin and a softer back end. Drinking nicely now, it will continue to age well. An excellent buy in my opinion.

Lalande-Borie (Saint-Julien) 2015, $39
A merlot-forward blend with some restraint; I’d start drinking this now and try it annually until it is in stride- perhaps 2023. In this price range, it is a nicely made example of the lighter side of classic Chateaux and provides consistent quality for Bordeaux lovers in an affordable realm.

Chateau Gloria (Saint-Julien) 2011, $59
A vineyard I have enjoyed many times, the last vintage I tasted was a lovely 2005. The good news is, the 2011 is drinking well now and showing in a similar position for a nicely made mid-level Bordeaux, if not as well-structured as the premiere vintages for Bordeaux. A powerful mouthfeel, large red and black cassis, earth and leather notes with strong tannic backbone. The wine is in stride currently, should be decanted and given air before drinking, and will show well for several more years.

Prieuré-Lichine (Margaux) 2015, $70
Accessible even at this young age, it is approaching full body with powerful tannins that still need a few years to calm. In three to five years, this wine should be hitting its stride. Black currants, leather, licorice and graphite will delight the palate. In ten years, this wine should have the subtlety and elegance it is known for.

Cantenac Brown (Margaux) 2010, $110
The last time I tasted this vintage it was young and requiring patience. Years later the wine is shaping up, but still has years to go before showing off her true beauty. I suggest cellaring this wine for another 3-5 years, then decant to enjoy the complexity and nuances of this Margaux. This was one of the more popular wines at this tasting, despite the youthful vintage, for the bold use of oak, earthy notes and forward tannins, showing the strong, bold side of Margaux.
Du Tertre (Margaux) 2010, $95
Nice red fruit with tannins starting to find their resting place, this wine might be a few years from being in the spot but is ready for food pairing. After a slew of uneven winemaking in the 1990s, this fifth growth is finally showing consistency and symmetry with neighboring Chateau Giscours. It has just enough aroma and flavor of Margaux while lacking elegance. Still, it is one of the few bottles remaining of the beautiful 2010 vintage and is worth enjoying for that reason alone.

Langoa Barton (Saint-Julien) 2009, $115
This wine is in stride and drinking wonderfully. Lusciously deep notes; black plum and cassis, mouthfeel is decadent and the wine is layered and structured in a beautiful fashion, as wines that used to take 20 years to mature, this one is there at 11 years of age. I could buy a truckload of this if it were available.

Duhart-Milon (Pauillac) 2012, $130
Loved the dark maroon color, the dusty rose, eucalyptus- from the nose to the palate. This wine ticked all the boxes for me and would be an ideal pairing for classic French fare. Soft, feminine, and a couple of years from perfection- of course it was the most expensive bottle at the tasting, which I only realized after I’d decided to pick up a couple of bottles. It is, after all, a Bordeaux lover’s event, but this wine will be stunning in 5-7 years, and will last another ten. The 2012 is not in the same rare category as the stunning 2010 vintage, but this bottle is a tremendous example of the beauty of Bordeaux in a less brilliant year- this is a wine to be savored and enjoyed, as opposed to the years they are collected and sold as treasures. 
Not everyone has room to cellar, but it’s lovely that these Bordeaux, some on the younger side, some about to hit prime drinking time, are readily available with the ease of modern internet buying. I hope you take the opportunity and enjoy some of these beauties, and please click below (on Leave a Reply) , and share with us what you’re drinking!
Won’t you be mine, Valentine?
à votre santé!
Like this:
Like Loading...
Tags: 2009 Bordeaux, Aged Wines, Bordeaux Blend, Bordeaux Wine, Valentine Wine, Wine Commentary
What to Cellar?
26 AprThis week I joined my friends Jenn & Stub as part of their live broadcast of Wine Antics to talk discuss cellaring!
If you missed it, you can watch the episode here:
Now, during this episode, we talked about what wines you SHOULD think about cellaring, and it was suggested that I put a blog post up as a reference. #SmartThinking, #GoodResource. So let’s do that, but let’s go back to my cellar basics first:
First, let’s talk about long term storage. Those are wines that I expect will need to be in perfect temperature, light, & humidity conditions for 5+ years, and some for much, much longer!
What wines do you want to cellar long term?
1. Start with Full-Bodied Red Wines, especially from Classic & Cult Producers
2. Any Old World First or Second Growth Wines; starting with Premium Left-Bank Bordeaux, Cru Burgundy, and stars from Châteauneuf-du-Pape
3. Italian wines from Tuscany, Piedmont, and Veneto, such as Amarone, Reserve Chianti & Tempranillo, Barolo, Barbaresco, Nebbiolo, Super-Tuscans
4. Classic Spanish and Portuguese Red Wines
5. Vintage Champagnes
6. Dessert wines such as Hungarian Tokaji, German & Alsatian Riesling, French Sauternes and Basra
7. Wines that are timeless, designed to last for decades: Port, Madeira, and Vin Jaune from The Jura region of France
8. Age-worthy white wine, usually high in acidity on release.
9. Premium/Bold Cabernet Sauvignon from the USA
Here are a few examples of wines worth holding long term:
(hey, I can dream, right?)
“But hey, JvB”, you say, “what about all the OTHER wines you have in storage?”
In addition to long term storage, I have short & medium storage, broken down as: A) Recent acquisitions to open/taste in 1-3 year range; and B) Wines that will improve from at least 2-3 years of storage but that I may start opening sooner but enjoy before 5 years of age.
Some good examples of wines to cellar for Short Term Storage (1-3 years):
–Washington, Texas, Virginia, & NY State Reds,
-Oregon & California Pinot Noirs,
-Most American white wines,
-American Sparkling Wines, Prosecco & Cava
-All my white/rosé wine club wines.
Some good examples of B), my wines requiring 2-to-5 years of storage, include:
-Cru Beaujolais wines,
-Right Bank/smaller Bordeaux producers that will hit their peak earlier
-California/US Reserve Wine Club red wines
-Most European and New World lighter reds, Pinot Noir, Primitivo, Garnacha
-White Bordeaux Bends, High end Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer, & Chenin Blanc
Does this help you think about HOW to cellar wine, and WHAT wines to cellar, for the short, medium, or long term?
What is in your cellar? Do you have a category of wines that I entirely forgot? Drop a line and let me know what you’re holding in your cellar, for short, medium, or long term!
à votre santé!
Share this:
Like this:
Tags: How to cellar wine, On Cellaring, What to cellar?, Wine Commentary