by Andrew Chalk
Do some of the best, and most expensive, wines of the world come from Bordeaux? Sure. Today one can buy 2011 Château Latour at Total Wine for a mere $900. That is the kind of global price that will excuse 90% of wine buyers from the market.
However, don’t write off Bordeaux just yet. There is a dirty little secret that the smart money has already discovered, that will change the wine-buying habits of a lot of people. That secret is that ordinary Bordeaux is one of the world’s great wine bargains. Quality wines from Bordeaux that do not have the pedigree of Château Latour can be bought at prices that everyone can afford and represent some of the most formidable quality/price combos. in the market today.
Over the next two weeks I will be reviewing some ‘little wines’ from Bordeaux and suggesting how to integrate them into your meals and your cellar plans. Just doing the tasting has got me really excited about these wines and I want to share them with you.
Château Fourcas Dupré 2019, Listrac-Medoc, Bordeaux, France ($25)
Medoc is the peninsula on the left bank of the Gironde river. Listrac is a village centrally located on that peninsula. It has no prestigious crus, but plenty of solid producers who toil in anonymity making reliable wines vintage after vintage. Such is this producer. Critics gave it 90/100 which immediately puts it into the great value category.
This wine has a soft, perfumy nose that draws the taster in. Fruits of raspberry, blackberry, and dates. In the mouth the tannins ripple across the tongue with only a touch of roughness. The blackberry fruit perks up and forms the backbone of the finish.
Summary: An ingratiating wine that should be drunk now with steak (I cooked ribeye) or lamb. I do not consider this an ‘ager’. Good value.
Sample
