Oct 19/10: "Bordeaux Under One Roof", tasting under $30 Bordeaux

The Time and Date: Monday, October 18, 2010   2 PM to 5 PM

The Event: "Bordeaux Under One Roof" trade tasting of Bordeaux wines under $30.

The Venue: St. Andrews Club, King and University

The Target Audience: wine trade

The Availability/Catalogue: all wines are available or will be soon.

The Quote/Background: the major problem with this wine tasting is that the wines pretty much all tasted the same: generic Bordeaux from the same vintages. Within this price range, there is not much wiggle room. It is best to taste these wines in a neutral situation, to ponder their qualities and look for defining character. But we never had that situation this year. Some good wines stood out, and these have been indicated below.

The Wines: I tasted all 59 wines; there were products from 20 agents.

 

**** Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms):

-Chateau Le Menaudat 2005 Blaye Cotes de Bordeaux, $15.95 Consignment

-Chateau Reverdi 2006 Listrac-Medoc, $26.95 Vintages

 

***1/2 Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms):

-Chateau Magnol 2007 Haut-Medoc, $29.95 Vintages submission

-Thomas Barton 2006 Medoc, $17.95 Vintages submission

-Thomas Barton 2007 Saint-Emilion, $24.95 Vintages submission

-Chateau Larose Trintaudon 2006 Haut-Medoc, $26.95 Vintages

-Chateau Verdignan 1998 Haut-Medoc, $21.95 Vintages [oldest wine here]

-Chateau Fongaban 2006 Castillon Cotes de Bordeaux, $17.95 Vintages

-Chateau Tour Saint Andre 2007 Lalande-de-Pomerol, $23.95 Vintages

-De Monturon 2008 St. Emilion Grand Cru, $23.95 Vintages

-Chateau Barateau 2005 Haut-Medoc, $23.95 Vintages

-Chateau Haut-Vigneau 2006 Pessac-Leognan, $24.95 Vintages

-Chateau Grand Bateau 2007 Bordeaux, $19.95 Consignment

 

*** Three Stars (85 – 87 in Quality/Price Rating terms):

-Chateau Laborie 2005 Castillon Cotes de Bordeaux, $13.95 Vintages

-Chateau Grand Maison 2006 Cotes de Bourg, $16.95

-Toumilon 2005 Graves, $21.95 Vintages

-Chateau Reysson  2005 Haut-Medoc, $21.95 Vintages submission

-Chateau Dourthe Terroir d'Exception 2006 Saint-Emilion, $21.95 Vintages submission

-Calvet Saint-Emilion 2008, $18.95 General List

 

The Food: there were three tables. One with white wines (seafood, mostly), another with red wines (duck confit, charcuteries, tartare, cheeses, etc.), and one with the sole Sauterne (cakes and pastries).

The Downside: there was no media table this year, which would have allowed us to sit and ponder the wines at our own pace.

The Upside: a good opportunity to catch up with current generic Bordeaux.

The Contact Person: Valerie.jolivet@sopexa.com

The Marketing Effectiveness (numerical grade): 86.

 

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com AND http://gothicepicures.blogspot.com