Chateau Laujac 'L de Laffitte Laujac', 2018 Médoc, Bordeaux, France ($21)
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.
Chateau Laujac 'L de Laffitte Laujac', 2018 Médoc, Bordeaux, France ($21)
Classic opaque ruby color. Medium intense nose of black cherry, forest floor, pencil shavings. In the mouth, gritty tannins, straightforward fruit flavors.
In the ladder of Bordeaux quality rankings Médoc is just above ‘Bordeaux’. Yesterday we tasted a wine with a specific village ranking (AOP), the Château Fourcas Dupré 2019, Listrac-Medoc, Bordeaux, France ($25). A higher quality ranking. The lower-ranked wine is less expensive. It is also a less good wine. Yesterday’s wine was more aromatic, more expressive, with more likable tannins.
Sample
