2009 Château Brane-Cantenac, France, Bordeaux, Margaux, Wine Review

This is a second growth under the 1855 classification system. Not a super second but often can be found for a reasonable price. A blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 7% Cabernet Franc. Purple in color, opaque and bright. Slight funk in the glass which slightly blows off with air. Cassis, cedar and roasted herbs. On the palate, this has nice fruit plums and cass along with some underlying spice/cedar. Slightly drying tannins. Long finish. This drinks well on its own and will work well with roasted fowl or meats. It is close to peak but may still be a bit better. It should still have twenty more years of good drinking left.

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Vintage:

2009

Current Price:

$90.00USD

Bordeaux First Growths: Chateau Lafite, First Amongst First Growths

Of all Bordeaux first growths, perhaps none is as well known, both inside and outside of the wine world, as Chateau Lafite Rothschild. Its name transcends wine, standing as a symbol of luxury. How did it get this lofty reputation? And, more importantly is, it deserved? The answer to the second question is a definite yes. This article will explore the first question in more detail. The History: Records of this estate stretch as far back as 1234 when Gombaud de Lafite, abbot of the Vertheuil Monastery north of Pauillac, owned the property. The name Lafite comes from "la hite", a Gascon expression meaning "small hill." Records from the 14th century indicate that it was not a vineyard, but what the French call a seigneurie. This is an estate run by a lord and others who are effectively sharecroppers. The manor house was constructed in the 1500s and still standing today. Read part one of the First Growths Series. The Ségur family bought the property in the 1600s. Jacques de Ségur planted the vineyard in 1680 although grapes were no doubt grown before that. By the early 1700s, thanks to Nicolas-Alexandre, Marquis de Ségur, Chateau Lafite wines were very popular with those wealthy enough to afford them, first in English Society (where it was a favorite of Prime Minster Robert Walpole) and later in French society.

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Cheval Blanc: The “First Growth” of the Right Bank

When the wines of Bordeaux were classified in 1855 all of the wines were from the Left Bank of the Gironde River. In fact, with the exception of Haut Brion, which is from Graves, all of the wines classified were from the Medoc. Since that time, the winemaking areas of Bordeaux have greatly expanded. Some of the best wines in Bordeaux are now made on the Right Bank including some of the most expensive wines in the entire world. While there is no official classification system for all of Bordeaux, there can be no doubt that if such a system was implemented today, at least a few Right Bank wineries would make the list. Perhaps no winery deserves the mythical first growth of the Right Bank title more than Cheval Blanc. In fact, the wines of Saint Émilion, a commune on the Right Bank, were ranked in 1955 and Cheval Blanc was one of two that received the highest rank of Premier Grand Cru Classé (A). Those rankings were redone in 1969, 1986, and 1996 and most recently in 2006 (although that ranking is the subject of an ongoing legal dispute not relevant to Cheval Blanc) and Cheval Blanc has remained a First Growth in every subsequent ranking.

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2000 Château Brane-Cantenac, France, Bordeaux, Wine Review

Vintage:

2000

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Current Price:

$140.00USD

For wines that are purchased on release and cellared for years, it is rare to hit a bottle at its exact prime. Often the bottle is opened too early, or too late. Wine lovers often discuss which is better.

Borgueil: The Unpronounceable, Unforgettable King of Cabernet Franc

When I think of wine that is interesting, unique, obscure, high-value, and small-production, I think of Borgueil – the small wine region in France’s Loire Valley that produces almost exclusively Cabernet Franc.

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1988 Château Margaux, France, Bordeaux, Margaux, Wine Review

Vintage:

1988

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Current Price:

$800.00USD

It is always a treat to drink a mature First Growth. This is fully mature and drinking beautifully. 12.5% abv according to the importer sticker on the bottle. Purple/ruby in color with some browning at the rim, mostly clear and a bit flat. The nose is dusty with cassis and tobacco. With air some dried fruits come out. Medium bodied. On the palate, this has a vibrant acidity. Nice cherry and black cherry fruit with some cassis. Layers of complexity. Fruit over spice and dried forest floor. Nice finish. This begs for food and went well with a roasted Brie but would work well with

2009 Château Brane-Cantenac, France, Bordeaux, Margaux, Wine Review

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Bordeaux First Growths: Chateau Lafite, First Amongst First Growths

Cheval Blanc: The “First Growth” of the Right Bank

2000 Château Brane-Cantenac, France, Bordeaux, Wine Review

Borgueil: The Unpronounceable, Unforgettable King of Cabernet Franc

1988 Château Margaux, France, Bordeaux, Margaux, Wine Review