Bordeaux
You know that party guest who sits in the corner for the first three hours, looking as if they wish they were somewhere else, then suddenly cuts loose at one in the morning and has to be dragged off the karaoke machine/dancefloor so you can go to bed? Well, that’s Bordeaux in SWA.
For years, the region did nothing, but it’s absolutely flying now. Year after year our tasters enjoy the full gamut of styles; year after year, we get plenty of medals.
Usually our star is the Left Bank, but this year it sat back to allow its peer from across the Gironde to take centre stage. The whites, too, were popular, with the Château Reynier cheap enough to be worthy of consideration for any kind of venue.
From The Tasting Teams
‘I thought the whites were quite impressive: easy-drinking, at a reasonable price and good quality. They’re always great for by-the-glass options, and they make a good alternative to Sancerre and Chablis.’ Markus Dilger, Dilger Sommelier Selection
‘In the Right Bank we found some really nice wines under £30 that were able to explain their terroir in a really good way.’ Mattia Tabacco, Oeno
‘From about £25, the Left Bank wines were quite powerful and tannic, with good concentration of fruit. Fortunately it’s easy to sell those £25 and above wines in England.’ Rui Pereira, Cavalry and Guards Club
‘The Right Bank reds was a good flight across the price ranges, and I was happy to see that a lot of the wines had plenty of fruit. There were a lot of shining examples of what Bordeaux is, in both classic and modern styles – totally worth the price.’ Carolina W Seibel, Comptoir Cafe and Wine
‘These were consistent in quality. It goes to show that even in years that aren’t so favourable in terms of weather conditions, those wines can still really shine. There’s room for movement in terms of upselling, or doing some of these via Coravin.’ Michael Driscoll, Careys Manor Hotel & SenSpa
‘White Bordeaux is always a good alternative if you don’t know what to choose, because these are wines that match a wide variety of dishes.’ Markus Dilger, Dilger Sommelier Collection
‘I wouldn’t necessarily call these good-value, because some were over £30, but when a wine is recognised like this, customers will spend money on it.’ Chiara Sieni, MM Grocery
‘This was a very solid flight, and really informed me that there are good price points out there.’ Tim Smith, Winesurfer Consulting