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DECANTER PROMOTION DECANTER PROMOTION 2013, 2014 & 2015 Finding Value in the Côtes de Bordeaux. Report by Jane Anson, Decanter’s Bordeaux correspondent he home of good value and There are excellent Maisons des Vins in all enjoyable wines, the AOC Côtes de corners of the Côtes that offer regular tastings Wines to try: Whites Bordeaux has the fourth largest and stock the vast majority of the wines sales of red wines in France. selected here. The Bordeaux region as a whole The Côtes draws together wines is experiencing a renaissance in wine tourism, T made from four separate areas of Blaye, with around five million visitors per year, and Cadillac, Castillon and Francs that lie on the the Côtes offer some of its most enriching and Château la Rose Bellevue Prestige, Right Bank of Bordeaux along the Dordogne exhilarating experiences. Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux 2014 and Garonne rivers. Over 900 winemakers This is some of the oldest viticultural terroir 91 Highly recommended make their home here, farming an area of in Bordeaux, with many châteaux dating back www.chateau-larosebellevue.com 10,000 hectares and producing around 10% of to the 12th century and earlier. There are Roman Bright, clean, good grip, sparkling citrus Bordeaux’s overall output per year. The vast remains to be found around the city of Blaye, flavours, this has been oak aged for five months majority (97%) of the wine here is red, but along with a UNESCO World Heritage Citadelle but with great restraint, 85% Sauvignon Blanc, there are also some excellent white wines. overlooking the Gironde Estuary. Cadillac and 15% Muscadelle. A lovely example of a Blaye And the spirit of the Côtes is clear – these are Francs are full of historic châteaux and ancient white, from an always-reliable producer. welcoming, family-run properties that churches that date back to the Middle Ages, Drink now-2017 Alc 13.5%abv prioritise not only making wonderful wines, while Castillon is full of rolling countryside as but welcoming visitors to discover what are it reaches out towards the green Dordogne, Château des Tourtes Cuvée Prestige, some of the most beautiful parts of Bordeaux. with towering limestone hills that offer perfect Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux 2014 These four regions are part of the fabric of bedrock for vines. There are marathons, 90 Highly recommended Bordeaux’s history, and yet are also part of its hikes, markets and various events where £11.50 The French Wine Project, renaissance, making some of the most winemakers can share their passion and www.thefrenchwineproject.com exciting wines of modern Bordeaux. know-how with visitors. This gets to the point straight away and is On wine labels, look out for either the The tasting below gathered together over easily one of my favorites tasted. Lots of general Côtes de Bordeaux appellation, which 220 wines from; for the reds, the 2014 and interest, from fresh white flowers to lemon is becoming an increasingly strong promise of 2013 vintages, and for the whites the 2015 and rind, lots of interest with a touch of flinty value and quality, or one of the four individual 2014. These were then cut down to around reduction on the very first nose. Drink names of Blaye, Cadillac, Castillon and Francs, 100 final choices. now-2017 Alc 14%abv indicating that the grapes are grown only in These are three vintages with real variations that specific area. All tend to be from small in style, with the full range from light, fresh, Château Haut Canteloup, properties (the average size is around 10 early drinking bottles to more powerful Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux 2015 hectares), and most have a majority of the structured wines to age. The 2013 vintage for 90 Highly recommended Merlot grape in their red wines. This is, the reds was a little bumpy in places, but we £9.90 The French Wine Project, however, the land of experimentation, with have narrowed down the field to some www.thefrenchwineproject.com many young winemakers, and increasing excellent examples, full of light fresh fruit and Distinct citrus flavours,with touches of numbers now use the more unusual varieties unforced pleasure. The 2014 vintage was, in gooseberry and asparagus Sauvignon, this is of Malbec or Cabernet Franc alongside the contrast, almost uniformly excellent, and you almost tart but manages to be mouthwatering more usual Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. will find plenty of wines offering both firm rich instead, good example of a northern The whites tend to be blends of Sauvignon fruits and soft, round tannins. The whites in hemisphere Sauvignon, with grip and presence. Blanc, Semillon, and sometimes Sauvignon 2014 also show some great success, with plenty 85% Sauvignon Blanc, 10% Sauvignon Gris and Gris or Muscadelle. to get excited about. And while the brilliant 5% Muscadelle. Drink now-2017 Alc 13.5%abv. These are richly textured and interesting 2015 reds are still ageing in cellars right now, wines that have a story to tell, so it’s always the whites on show seem hugely promising – La Révélation des Vignobles Denis Lafon, worth looking at the back label, visiting the the acidities a little lower than in 2014 Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux 2014 website, or heading out to Bordeaux to visit. perhaps, with a gourmet take on the Côtes. 89 Recommended JUNE_p078-85 cotes de bordeaux advertorial.indd 78 12/04/2016 15:33 DECANTER PROMOTION DECANTER PROMOTION www.denislafon.com www.lacaussade-saintmartin.com Rich, round, silky, but here also a nice grip of A lovely bit of lift and a touch of reduced Smudged smoky extract on the nose, this is lemon and a sizzle of rosemary spicing. expression. The 50% Sauvignon Blanc here citrus grilled over vine shoots. Has personality Enjoyable blend of 60% Sauvignon Blanc and expresses green-tinged citrus and lime fruits and grip, and a soft candyfloss finish. 40% Semillon from winemaker Dominique and is zippy with lift, brought into balance Distinctive, perhaps because from an unusual Raimond. Drink now-2017 Alc 14%abv with 50% Semillon. Six months in new oak blend of 80% Semillon and 20% Sauvignon gives a roundness without sacrificing the Blanc, aged in 400 litre barrels with regular Château Berthenon, Sauvignon, edge. Great stuff from Denis Lafon. Drink lees stirring. Drink now-2017 Alc 13.5%abv Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux 2015 now-2017 Alc 12.5%abv 87 Recommended Château des Matards, Cuvée Quentin, www.chateauberthenon.com Château Manon La Lagune, Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux 2014 From the 2015 vintage, this has a classic Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux 2015 88 Recommended Sauvignon nose, freshly cut grass, good 89 Recommended www.chateau-des-matards.com spiciness without being overpowering. This is www.myliko.co.uk, Musgrave SuperValu Cheerful sunflower colour, with a silky and made up of 95% Sauvignon Blanc with a 5% Straw colour, with a smooth rich mouthfeel sweet mouthfeel. A white wine that is full of squeeze of Sauvignon Gris. Unoaked, focusing from the off. This has high aromatics of freshly personality, from 100% Sauvignon Blanc first on the character of the grape. Drink now-2017 cut grass. Good typicity, making the most of vinified and then aged for nine months in oak. Alc 13%abv its 100% Sauvignon Blanc. Drink now-2017 Majoring on exotic fruit rather than the more Alc 13%abv typically Bordeaux expression of Sauvignon, Château Dubraud, very enjoyable. Drink now-2017 Alc 14%abv Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux 2014 Château Haut Grelot, Cuvée Sélection, 86 Recommended Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux 2015 Château Maison Neuve, www.chateaudubraud.com (sell online) 89 Recommended Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux 2014 This is rich and silky smooth, it is unoaked Bancroft Wines, www.bancroftwines.com 88 Recommended but has regular stirring of the lees to fatten A rich and ripe expression of the 2015 vintage. www.chateau-maisonneuve.com up the texture of the wine. 70% Sauvignon This is 100% Sauvignon Blanc given the full Crisp and clean, a little sour perhaps, Blanc; 15% Semillon and 15% Muscadelle from treatment - so six months oak ageing, with the gooseberry tart rather than fool, but on the winemakers Celine and Alain Vidal. Drink fermentation done in new oak (before half of mid palate a lovely citrus flesh comes into now-2017 Alc 12.5%abv the wine passes into one year old barrels for play, and this turns into a very pretty wine. the ageing, and owner Julien Bonneau 100% Sauvignon Blanc, on the fresh scale. Tutiac Sélection, cleverly using the new barrels for his red Unoaked, gentle lees stirring. Drink now-2017 Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux 2014 wine). Drink now-2017 Alc 13%abv Alc 13%abv 86 Recommended www.tutiac.com Château Lacaussade St Martin, Château Montfollet Le Valentin, Fragrant on the nose, with white flowers and Cuvée Trois Moulins, Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux 2014 gentle curling citrus. This fades quickly, but is Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux 2015 87 Recommended pretty. 100% Sauvignon Blanc, unoaked. Drink 89 Recommended www.chateaux-solidaires.com now-2017 Alc 12%abv ➢ JUNE_p078-85 cotes de bordeaux advertorial.indd 79 12/04/2016 15:33 DECANTER PROMOTION DECANTER PROMOTION Château Haut Bertinerie, Château La Bretonnière, Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux 2014 Reds Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux 2014 85 Commended 90 Highly recommended www.myliko.co.uk www.vignoblesheurlier.com From an excellent estate that I often enjoy, Great stuff from winemaker Stéphane this is not quite up to their 2013 standard for Heurlier. Firm fruits, some uplift on the finish, the white, but still an enjoyable wine with well Château la Braulterie de Peyraud, this has real promise, good integrity of the defined flavours.

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