September has been named Bordeaux month – it seems every grape has its own international wine day so why not dedicate an entire month to one of the most renowned and beloved wine regions in the world. Here’s what you need to know when selecting a bottle of Bordeaux red.
Firstly, French wine is often labelled by region and not by grape variety. Bordeaux, situated in Southwestern France, is largely divided up into two main sections. The Left Bank creates Cabernet Sauvignon-led blends and the Right Bank favours Merlot, and both dominate grapes will usually be blended with each other as well as potentially Cabernet France, Petit Verdot and Malbec.
This means that typically Left Bank wines such as Médoc, Pauillac, Margaux, Saint-Julien and Graves will have more structure, firmer tannins, and darker flavours like blackberry, plum, tobacco and leather. Right Bank wines such as Saint-Émilion, Fronsac and Pomerol tend to be softer and smoother with notes of red cherry, raspberry and chocolate.
Traditionally the more austere structure of the Left Bank has meant those wines are better with some age whereas Right Bank wines are plusher and more enjoyable in their youth. However, with more people buying wine to drink now rather than lay down and save, more winemakers, even from the Left Bank, are making sure their wines are ready to drink as sold, such as the elegant, woody Etoile de Pauillac (Waitrose, on discount from £24.99 to £20.99).
The Wine Society have knocked it out of the park once more with their Château Pey La Tour Réserve 2019. Beautifully soft, perfumed and delivering a deft lightness of touch this is sensational value (The Wine Society, £11.95). The year 2019 is also one of the best recent vintages for those who like a classic Bordeaux, delivering bright fruit with balanced elegance.
Wines of 2018 are also excellent but in an entirely different way, the heat of the summer resulting in powerful, robust reds with tons of flavour and the Château Ampélia Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux 2018 (The Wine Society, £14.50) hugely overdelivers. A small, organically certified house this wine is developing into something rich, spiced and complex. I shall be bringing this to impress all my wine friends at the next dinner party.
Bordeaux has the trappings of a different time in wine. It can come with echoes of snobbish pretentiousness, but you do not have to mortgage the house to afford an enjoyable bottle. For an easy-drinking boozy Bordeaux, the Cap Royal (Tesco, £11) is a fruity, velvety little number you can put your feet up with, though my favourite high-street bargain right now is crowd-pleasing Calvet Reserve (Waitrose, on discount from £9.99 to £7.99). Rich silky fruit, hints of vanilla spice and a generous texture this is a winner with dinner if you are serving up grilled or roasted meats.
Though ‘Claret’, an old fashioned term used in England for the red wines of Bordeaux , is what put it on the map, it certainly is not the only thing to tickle the tastebuds with. Climate change, the rise of vegetarianism and the evolving trends in wine mean Bordeaux is producing more variety, such as their white Bordeaux Blanc.
Bordeaux Blanc is a blend of Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc and sometimes Muscadelle. Though not as pronounced a difference as the reds, the Left Bank whites have a mineral backbone and complexity with stone fruit and floral notes whereas the Right Bank tends to produce fresher, lighter examples with green herbs and citrus zest flavours.
If you are celebrating or just looking for a sparkling to elevate your Friday fish and chips the Louis Vallon Crémant de Bordeaux Blanc de Noirs (Sainsburys, on discount from £14.75 to £13) is a fantastic alternative to Champagne, with peachy brioche notes underpinned by bright, crisp effervescence, while Marks & Spencer have teamed up with Étoile de Timberlay to offer a beautiful and bargainous Crémant de Bordeaux, both Brut and Rosé (M&S, £10).
Retailers and bars are putting on offers and events up and down the country to highlight Bordeaux – pop into your favourite shop, have a look around and pick up a bottle or two today.
Wines of the week
Champagne Alfred Gratien Blanc de Blancs, £40, The Wine Society
As soon as I sipped this, I knew it was something special, though I admit I had never heard of Alfred Gratien, despite 160 years of producing excellent quality champagne (with 62 per cent of each wine from Grand and Premier Crus). Though the winemaking is all done in oak, the sparkling retains a freshness and playful lightness despite the rich flavour. There is a delicacy to its depth that keeps you going back for more.
Zeno Alcohol-Liberated Rosé, £10.49, zenowine.com
It is simpler to mask the missing booze with a sparkling wine, so to find a genuinely tasty still option is a lottery-ticket style win. Yes, this is going to be your lighter, poolside quaffing glass of pink but chill it down (add some ice if you are a rule-breaker), slurp away and you are hard pressed to tell the difference.
Champagne Palmer & Co Rosé Solera, £47.60, VINVM
A fascinating rosé champagne aged through the solera wine making technique, where each year the fresh new wine is added to barrels of developing older vintages. A gastronomic sparkling with an opulent creamy mousse of fine bubbles and elegant waves of blackcurrant and red berry fruits.
Ormarine Cuvée Estela Picpoul de Pinet 2023, £14.99, Majestic
Picpoul is a safe bet if you like your wines fresh, silky with a saline lick of summery sea spray. This is, however, a few steps up with a gorgeous generous structure and subtle peachy and floral blossom notes. Rounded on the palate and offering a touch more complexity this is stunning with seafood.
Henry Fessy Brouilly Beaujolais Cru 2019, £15, Ocado
Embrace a chilled red as the perfect transition from Summer to Autumn. Made from the Gamay grape, this Beaujolais is plush with red fruits and graceful hints of baking spice. Pop the bottle into the fridge 30 minutes before serving to ensure you make the most of this light, juicy, satin-soft wine. Superb.
Roebuck Estates Rosé de Noirs 2018 £43.99 Selfridges
This has to be one of the most accomplished English sparkling wines out there. The fullness of flavour, length of finish and fine, persistent bubbles are an absolute joy. Deliciously expressive layers of wild English strawberries, bright cranberries and dainty almond biscuits makes this superb sipping.