Holiday season is almost here! Time for those special foods and the wine to pair with them.
Whatever the size of your guest list, holiday meals beg for high-quality wine. This is the time of year when we typically spend a few extra dollars to add the “wow” factor to festive family gatherings.
But before you reach for that top-shelf Pauillac or Saint-Émilion, you might want to consider Bordeaux further down the price ladder. The huge Bordeaux wine region of southwest France has 60 appellations and five classification systems. Some Bordeaux regions deliver significant value for prices under $25, especially in good vintages such as 2014, 2015 or 2016.
In November, the French Winophiles (#winophiles) will be writing and chatting about affordable Bordeaux for the holidays. You’re invited to join in the fun by posting an article to your blog. See the easy instructions at the end of this post.
Meanwhile, here are a few places to look for Bordeaux bargains:
Crus Bourgeois
In a recent Forbes article, writer Jill Barth interviewed Franck Bijon, president of the Crus Bourgeois du Médoc, a group of mainly family-owned wine properties on the left bank of Bordeaux. Bijon describes the Crus Bourgeois as “accessible in both taste and price,” meaning consumers don’t have to cellar them for a long time and most people can afford them. “You drink them,” he says. “You don’t collect them.”
Cru Bourgeois was established as a classification system in 1932 for Médoc châteaux that were left out of the famous 1855 Classification. The system suffered a legal challenge and collapsed in 2003. It was revived as a labeling term, but not a classification, in 2008, and includes designated estates in Médoc, Haut-Médoc, Listrac, Moulis, Margaux, Saint-Julien, Pauillac and Saint-Estèphe. An independent verification body revisits the list of châteaux every five years. This category is responsible for 40% of Médoc production, typically led by Cabernet Sauvignon.
Satellite appellations
For consumers, a great attraction of satellite appellation wines is value,” writes Tim Mullen for Forbes. “Bottles with sometimes almost commensurate quality as those from more renowned appellations can be purchased for sometimes a fraction of the cost.”
Saint-Émilion, on the Merlot-dominated right bank of Bordeaux, has four satellite appellations: Saint-Georges-Saint-Émilion, Montagne-Saint-Émilion, Puisseguin-Saint-Émilion and Lussac-Saint-Émilion. All are located in slightly cooler climates north of Saint-Émilion. Three Pomerol neighbors – Lalande de Pomerol, Fronsac and Canon-Fronsac – are also great places to search for value.
In 2009, a new Côtes de Bordeaux satellite appellation system was introduced consisting of four regions in a hilly area of the right bank. Côtes de Blaye, Côtes de Castillon, Côtes de Francs and Côtes de Cadillac were the original members. In 2016, Sainte-Foy Bordeaux joined the group. Together, they cover nearly 30,000 acres of vines, and represent 10 percent of total Bordeaux production (Source: Wine Enthusiast). These regions can now use the Côtes de Bordeaux AOC with their individual names as a prefix. Côtes de Bourg producers make wines in a similar style, but chose not to join the group.
Entre-deux-Mers
Most of us think of red wine for the holidays. But, if you’re looking for an affordable, dry white Bordeaux, look for Entre-deux-Mers on the label.
Situated “between the two waters,” the Dordogne and Garonne rivers, the Entre-deux-Mers region produces a range of wine styles. But the Entre-deux-Mers AOC (appellation) applies solely to the region’s dry whites. Wines are typically a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon, sometimes with a splash of Muscadelle.
OK, ready to grab a bottle and join us? Any Bordeaux under $25 will meet the criteria for next month’s #winophiles topic. Explain why it’s good value for price in your post. Here’s what to do:
Blog post: Send your title, blog url and Twitter handle by Tuesday, Nov. 16, to be included in the preview post. Email Linda at lbwhipple@gmail.com, or drop your title and info in the designated post thread via the Facebook event. We’ll be posting updates to this event, including chat questions and links to other blogs.
Need to join the French Winophiles? Let me know and I’ll connect you with the site administrator.
We ask that blog posts for this event be published either on Friday, Nov. 19, or Saturday, Nov. 20, prior to the chat (see below). Please use the #winophiles tag in your title.
Twitter chat: Our live Twitter chat is set for Saturday, Nov. 20, at 8 am PT/11 am ET. Everyone is welcome! No need to have published a post to join in the conversation — just an interest in learning and sharing. Simply tune into the #winophiles hashtag during the hour we’re chatting. Hope to see you there!