| If you are in the market for fine French wine and | | | | sights to see which will be described in the |
| food, you should consider the world-famous | | | | appropriate articles. |
| Bordeaux region of southwestern France. You | | | | Before reviewing the Bordeaux wine and |
| may find a bargain, and I hope that you'll enjoy | | | | imported cheeses that we were lucky enough to |
| yourself on this fact-filled wine education tour in | | | | purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian |
| which we review a red Merlot from an | | | | food store, here are a few suggestions of what |
| internationally renowned producer. | | | | to eat with indigenous wines when touring this |
| Among France's eleven wine-growing regions | | | | beautiful region. Start with Gravette Huitres |
| Bordeaux ranks first in acreage with about 50% | | | | (Oysters from the Arcachon Bay). For your |
| more land devoted to vineyards than the | | | | second course savor Lamproie au Pomerol (Eels |
| second-place Rhone Valley. But it's more than just | | | | cooked in Red Wine and Chocolate). And as |
| a question of acreage and volume. Bordeaux is | | | | dessert indulge yourself with Cannelles de |
| widely considered as one of the top wine | | | | Bordeaux ("Portable Creme Brulee). |
| producing regions of the entire earth and has | | | | OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we |
| been for centuries. The wine reviewed below | | | | taste and review are purchased at the full retail |
| comes from the Pomerol area on the right bank | | | | price. |
| of the Garonne River, which divides Bordeaux in | | | | Wine Reviewed Moueix Merlot 2003 12.3% about |
| two. | | | | $13.00 |
| Bordeaux produces over seventy million cases of | | | | Let's start by quoting the marketing materials. No |
| wine per year, about 85% red, 12 white, and the | | | | one knows Merlot better than Christian Moueix, |
| rest rose. That works out to more than two | | | | owner of the world famous Chateau Petrus. Year |
| million cases of rose wine per year. I don't | | | | after year, his wines define Merlot. Soft and round |
| remember ever tasting a Bordeaux rose. I | | | | with aromas of raspberry, cedar and blueberry, |
| promise to deal with this problem later in the | | | | this wine delivers ripe fruit, great balance and a |
| series. There are more than twenty two | | | | medium long finish. It's magic with veal medallions |
| thousand vineyards in Bordeaux covering about | | | | and sauteed mushrooms, or baked pasta. |
| 280 thousand acres, which works out to | | | | My first pairing was with turkey meatballs, |
| somewhat less than 13 acres per vineyard. | | | | potatoes, and sauteed vegetables in a moderately |
| Approximately one half of the vineyards produce | | | | spicy tomato sauce. This wine was round and |
| wine, and in total about 6000 properties produce | | | | full-bodied. It was quite long with pleasant acidity |
| and sell their own wine, while the rest sell their | | | | but overpowered the meat. The Merlot tasted |
| wine through cooperatives. Bordeaux boasts | | | | better after eating the potatoes. When I finished |
| about 60 different wine appellations ranging from | | | | the glass after the meal, the wine was quite rich |
| fair-to-middling to world class with plenty in | | | | and I started tasting blackberries. |
| between. Some Bordeaux wine classifications date | | | | My next meal consisted of slow-cooked beef |
| back to 1855. Changes have been few and far | | | | stew and potatoes with a somewhat spicy sauce |
| between. The most notable change occurred 1973 | | | | and two rather spicy side salads. The wine was |
| when Chateau Mouton Rothschild was promoted | | | | full-bodied and agreeably acidic, tasting of plums |
| from Second Cru (second growth) to Premier Cru | | | | and black cherries. Once again I enjoyed finishing |
| (First Growth). Those in the know say that his | | | | the glass after the meal. The spices were |
| Chateau Lafitte definitely deserves this honor. We | | | | intensified. I can only imagine what its famous |
| intend to review some fairly top-notch Bordeaux | | | | cousin, Chateau Petrus, would taste like but at |
| wines sooner or later. In the meantime the wine | | | | forty times the cost (or more), I can only |
| reviewed below is very affordable. Interestingly | | | | imagine. |
| enough, its noble cousin, Chateau Petrus, crafted | | | | The final meal included hamburgers, rice, |
| by the same producer with the same grape in | | | | cauliflower and red peppers in a tomato sauce, |
| the same area holds no prestigious classification. | | | | once again with Harissa, a Moroccan hot pepper |
| However, Chateau Petrus is definitely world class | | | | spice that was fairly weak. The Merlot tasted of |
| and comes with a price to match, if the wine | | | | dark fruits and tobacco with a bit of black pepper. |
| merchant will even look at your money. | | | | The only downside was that the wine was not |
| It may surprise you but Merlot is the most | | | | long. |
| important Bordeaux red grape. Cabernet | | | | As always, the cheese tastings came last. I |
| Sauvignon comes in a distant second. We'll talk | | | | started with a Palet de Chevre, which is a goat's |
| about the remaining important Bordeaux red | | | | milk cheese from the Poitou Charentes region of |
| grape varieties elsewhere in this series. The major | | | | central-western France. Honestly, if I didn't know |
| white grapes are Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc. | | | | that it was a goat's milk cheese I never would |
| The Pomerol region of Bordeaux is a small, rural | | | | have guessed. It simply looked and tasted like a |
| area of Bordeaux producing only red wine. Its | | | | slightly runny Camembert. The combination was |
| major grape varieties are Cabernet Franc, | | | | almost OK, but deadened the wine's flavor |
| Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot. | | | | somewhat. The other cheese was a Swiss |
| Pomerol's main tourist attractions are the wine | | | | Gruyere. The wine bounced back in the Gruyere's |
| chateaux. Perhaps surprisingly the world famous | | | | presence, but frankly was too good for the |
| Chateau Petrus is not all that special to look at. | | | | cheese. |
| The two most attractive Chateaux are the | | | | Final verdict. No doubt about it; I want this wine |
| Chateau Nenin and the Vieux Chateau Certan but | | | | again. And should the day come that I'll buy its |
| are far from spectacular. As the famous phrase | | | | noble cousin, Chateau Petrus, I'll still be buying this |
| goes, you can't judge a book by its cover. Of | | | | wine. |
| course the Bordeaux region is brimming with | | | | |