This Francs Côtes de Bordeaux lets the fruit shine through (#Winophiles)

As the largest wine region in France, Bordeaux has thousands of estates making millions of cases of wine annually. But to investors and other “serious” collectors, only 100 or so châteaux, those producing first-growth or premier grand cru wines, are worthy of attention. Of course, these top-quality wines carry price tags to match.

What if you aren’t so serious? Say, for example, you’re planning to open a Bordeaux soon, rather than waiting years for it to develop? Then step outside the circle of these famed châteaux into the fringes of the region. You’ll find yourself in territory where hierarchy and class don’t matter.

Francs Côtes de Bordeaux AOC is one of these fringe areas. In 2009, after years of lobbying to gain a better marketing position, this tiny subregion and three others – Côtes de Blaye, Côtes de Castillon, and Côtes de Cadillac – joined under the Côtes de Bordeaux umbrella. Though they have little in common, these subregions can now use the Côtes de Bordeaux AOC with their individual name as a prefix.

Located on the right bank of the Dordogne River to the northeast of highly regarded Saint-Émilion, Francs Côtes de Bordeaux boasts similar clay-limestone soils. Francs Côtes de Bordeaux also benefits from some of the highest elevations in the region, as well as some of the lowest average annual rainfall. Those two factors allow the grapes to ripen slowly. Ninety-five percent of production is red with blends composed mostly of Merlot with a splash of Cabernet Franc or Cabernet Sauvignon.

When I learned the French Winophiles blogging group would be focusing on “What’s new in Bordeaux?” as the first topic of 2021, I searched for something that is not your grandfather’s heavy and oaky Bordeaux. I found the less serious side of Bordeaux in a Francs Côtes de Bordeaux aged in stainless steel to let the fruit shine through.

You’re invited to grab your own Bordeaux and join us on Twitter this Saturday 1/16, beginning at 8 am ET/11 am PT, to chat about regional trends and tastes. Simply follow the #Winophiles hashtag.

Moving into modern times

Though long known as one of the most conservative wine regions in the world, Bordeaux has been shaking things up.

Seven new grape varieties recently were approved for planting: four reds, Arinarnoa, Castets, Marselan, and Touriga Nacional; and three whites, Alvarinho, Liliorila, and Petit Manseng. These grapes hail from more southerly reaches of the wine world and were chosen specifically to give winegrowers options for adapting to climate change.

Not that you’ll see these names on Bordeaux wine labels anytime soon. Growers are only being allowed to plant up to 5 percent of their vineyards with them and can only add up to 10 percent in their final blend of any bottling. Further, the new varieties are restricted to the entry-level Bordeaux AOC and Bordeaux Supérieur AOC appellations.

Actually, some Bordeaux vintners have been growing non-allowed grapes in their vineyards for several years as a hedge against climate change. Nonetheless, the official change is a huge move for Bordeaux, and that’s not all.

More and more winegrowers in Bordeaux are switching to biodynamic farming practices as they become aware of its potential to regenerate vineyards. Biodynamic agriculture was founded in 1924 by German scientist and philosopher Dr. Rudolf Steiner, one of the first public figures to question the long-term negative impact of industrial agriculture. Steiner suggested that farms be thought of as self-contained and self-sustaining living organisms. Biodynamic farmers use special preparations and treatments to promote soil health.

Changes are stirring in the cellar, too. While oak aging is still the norm, some Bordeaux winemakers are aging their red blends in everything from clay amphorae to concrete to stainless steel.

The story of Vignobles Arbo

Vignobles Arbo (Arbo Vineyards) is an estate owned by Bernadette and Joseph Arbo. The estate has been in the family for five generations. Bernadette’s great-great grandfather moved to a small property in Francs in the early 20th century, together with his wife and daughter. He had to put his plans to plant a vineyard on hold in 1914 when World War I broke out. Amand Puyanché was killed in battle in May 1917.

Daughter Amande was raised by a wealthy wine-producing family who lived nearby. Together with her husband, she inherited a substantial property, but the couple was unable to make a profit producing wine, so they sold a large part of the vineyard and with the remaining land, they joined a cooperative. Their son, Andre, worked tirelessly to redeem the parcels of land that his parents had sold, while remaining with the cooperative. Little by little, he reconstructed the vineyard.

When Andre’s daughter, Bernadette, inherited the vineyard in the 1990s, she and her husband decided to leave the cooperative, build a storehouse, and commit themselves to Amand’s original project. They called their first chateau Château Puyanché in memory of Amand. Since then, the owners have set aside part of the land for a new venture, Château Godard Bellevue. More recently, they acquired a parcel in Côtes de Castillion that has been named Moulins de Coussillon.

Today, the 126-acre estate is divided into these two appellations: 94 acres in Francs Côtes de Bordeaux planted to red grapes (Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon) and approximately seven acres planted to whites (Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon), and almost 25 acres in Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux being developed for red wine production. Their hillside vineyards benefit from Bordeaux’s continental climate: dry and cold in the winter and hot in summer. Southwest-facing vines protect grapes from much of the hail and rain moving inland from the Atlantic Ocean.

The Arbo family lives on the estate and for many years, they’ve been actively reducing their use of pesticides. They haven’t used any insecticides for more than a decade and have reduced sulphates by 50% through the use of high-performance sprays. An onsite weather station measures wind speed to allow for spraying at the optimum time. In addition, they take the following sustainability steps:

• Collecting and treating all wine effluent to preserve water.
• Enhancing biodiversity by keeping hedgerows and fallow areas on their land.
• Grassing over the middle row of vines to allow bees to forage. In winter, the vineyards are grazed by a herd of local sheep.
• Sorting and recycling all trash and seeking to reduce waste even more. They use recyclable cartons and lightweight bottles.

Sources: Bordeaux Magazine, Decanter, Forbes, Meininger’s Wine Business International, Vignobles Arbo, Vincarta, Wine Access, Wine-Searcher, Wine Spectator.

The wine – 2015 Châteaux Puyanché Francs Côtes de Bordeaux AOC
80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon
Fermented for 3 to 4 weeks in stainless steel tanks; aged in tanks for 18 months.

My tasting notes: Ruby/garnet in color. Aromas of black cherry and plum with an herby note and a hint of fennel. On the palate I get spice upfront, followed by tobacco and a hint of mocha. Medium body. Medium+ acidity. Medium+ finish. Alcohol: 14.5%. Price: $18. Earthy with just the right amount of structure without harsh tannins. Fruity without being jammy, despite high alcohol. Definitely an old world-style Bordeaux.

Suggested pairings: Meat and hard cheese are recommended for this Merlot-dominant wine. Though the spouse and I ration our meat intake, Merlot generally brings out the burgers and beefy casseroles in my house. This time, I opted for a barbecue-sauce pizza topped with shredded chicken, thinly sliced red onions, smoked Holland cheese, and cilantro. The trick is to make sure the sauce is not too sweet. This recipe worked well and had the tang to balance the wine’s acidity. Smoked cheese and cilantro bring out the wine’s savory notes.

What’s new in Bordeaux? Check out what this month’s French Winophiles have to say!

• Susannah at Avvinare shares “Cru Bourgeois – A Closer Look At Chateau Labadie”
• Wendy at A Day in the Life on the Farm shares “Chateau Haut-Pougnon with Mediterranean Stew”
• Terri at Our Good Life shares “Hearty Seafood Chowder with a Special Bottling from Chateau Tour de Bonnet”
• Allison and Chris at Advinetures shares “Fronsac: Out of the Shadows of Bordeaux”
• Linda at My Full Wine Glass shares “This Francs Côtes de Bordeaux lets the fruit shine through”
• Camilla at Culinary Adventures with Camilla shares “Croissants aux Framboises + Chateau Sabliere Beausejour 2016”
• Gwendolyn at Wine Predator shares “For a Special Evening at Home: Bordeaux’s Sweet, Sparkling, Savory Surprises”
• Lynn at Savor the Harvest shares “Sustainability, Adaptation and Oenotourism Evolve in Bordeaux”
• Lauren at The Swirling Dervish shares “Are Dry Wines the New Sweet Spot for Sauternes?”
• Nicole at Somms Table shares “Faux Fancy Bordeaux”
• Lisa at The Wine Chef shares “Learn About Cru Bourgeois Wines: What’s New and Why You Should be Drinking Them”
• Jeff atFood Wine Click! shares “What’s New? Natural Bordeaux!”