THE BOUNTY OF ‘GREATER BORDEAUX’. PART 5.

Château Gloria, 2019 Saint-Julien, Bordeaux, France ($43)

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 exclude 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. Bordeaux producers sent me a selection of eight bottles. Just doing the tasting has got me really excited about these wines, and I want to share them with you.

Château Gloria, 2019 Saint-Julien, Bordeaux, France ($43)

Appearance: Opaque blackcurrant;

Nose: Perfumy, blackcurrant, cedar, pencil lead. Complex.

Palate: Firm tannins create a seductive velvet texture. Blackcurrant fruit, oak.

In this series, this is the most complex wine we have tasted so far. It has sufficiently present tannins that it should age for several years. However, it is pleasant now and would be a superb accompaniment to red meat.

Sample.