A ‘Lieu Dit’ is an old French term for a small vineyard that bears a traditional name – you normally hear of them in Burgundy or Alsace. In this case the vineyard is Marchais, which translates as ‘the Marches’ . . . similar in meaning to the Welsh Marches region that we have in the UK. i.e. a border land or frontier. It’s probably where Chateau Les Marcheys takes its name from.

The Les Marcheys vineyards are definitely older than the pretty chateau and the area is home to a rich medieval heritage. Ancient fortified buildings hark back to feudal times when brigands were afoot and Lords squabbled over land. Not far from Les Marcheys stands the ancient 16^th century Chateau de Basgéran flanked by turrets with battlements and the 14^th century water mill Moulin de La Salle.

In those days the water mills were usually owned by the Monasteries, Abbeys or the local Lord – villagers could safely mill their grain into flour there protected within the fortifications. The Moulin de La Salle was once attached to a chateau that belonged to the Order of Malta (Knights Hospitaller, founded in 1023) and in 1519 records show that it was owned by Jammes de Fargues, Lord of Cleyrac. It still has the shooting gallery and a dungeon!

Fortified water mills of this type are only found in the Entre Deux Mers and are a reminder of how this triangle of land, laced with streams, was once well defended by Church and Nobility alike. The appellation has long been overlooked as far as red wines are concerned, as it is renowned for its whites – but it’s becoming clear that there are some super clarets now being produced there that deserve more recognition. They represent great value for money and those of you who appreciate a good glass of red wine won’t be disappointed.

Chateau Les Marcheys 2009 is very dense garnet-red with light ruby tints at its edge and is well balanced, supple and velvety on the palate. It is very aromatic with a powerful spicy nose and flavours of crushed ripe red berry fruits, leather and blackberries. It’s made from an equal blend of the classic Bordeaux grapes of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc – and is very good with food, being only 12.5% abv!

This is a wine that would pair well with an assortment of cold meats, salamis and sausages as well as steak char-grilled on the barbeque, grilled lamb and pork chops.

Enjoy!

Simply go to our Facebook Page at

https://www.facebook.com/bordeauxundiscovered

and click on the Shopping Basket named ‘Online Shop’.

Our new Facebook Online Shop has all our wines and champagnes listed plus special offers and best sellers. If you click on ‘Buy’ you are taken directly to our product page on our secure site so that you can go through to our ‘Check Out’. What’s more you can also ‘Like’ and ‘Share’ all our wines which makes it easy to spread the word about your favourites!

We will be adding new Competitions, exclusive Offers and Prize Draws for Facebook fans in the next few weeks. We also have some super deals lined up for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the London 2012 Olympics so don’t forget to ‘Like’ us on Facebook and keep an eye out for them!

We’d also love to hear from you so if you have any questions for Nick on wine or food and wine pairing or would like to pop by and say ‘hello’ please get in touch on our Facebook Page! You’ll find lots of wine news, tasting notes, chateaux profiles, wine suggestions and recipes there so don’t be shy.

Happy Shopping!

Bordeaux Blancs – the dry White Wines of Bordeaux work amazingly well with food. They are often more complex than their New World counterparts and offer good structure and balance. They also come in different styles, some expressing crisp minerality and others showing more fruit and depth. Bordeaux Blancs are beautiful when paired with fish and can cope with the stronger flavours of tuna, salmon and even smoked mackerel as well as plaice, monk fish, prawns, crab and lobster. I have selected a choice few dry

The Good Food Network, gourmet food specialists, offer the Perard Fish Soups, amongst their fantastic range of gourmet foods and store cupboard ingredients – if you are a Francophile or love good, traditional, French dishes their site is well worth checking out!

Perards have been making their fabulous fish soups in le Touquet in Northern France since 1963, to Serge Perard’s secret recipes. They are so well crafted they have been awarded the prestigious Label Rouge in recognition of their quality and flavour. The soups can also be used as a base to make other fish dishes as well as being enjoyable in their own right.

Perard Fish Soup (Soup de Poisson Perard) – enjoy with croutons and rouille or use an ingredient in Bouillabaisse. Top tip: cook white fish in (such as halibut, cod or monkfish) in the soup, season with a little fleur de sel de guerande, saffron and fresh cream! Fleur de Luze 2009 would be the perfect pairing for Bouillabaisse – this is a lively Bordeaux White Wine with avery clean citrus, lychee, and mango bouquet. It has a long, fruity after taste which follows through with a slight hint of ripe grapefruit and a refreshingly slight touch of fizz.

Perard Crab Soup ( Soup de Crabe Perard) – delicious with a crabcake garnish or as the base to smoky chowders. Chateau Mayne Pargade 2010 will accompany the flavours in this soup particularly well. This is a very aromatic Bordeaux Blanc with floral notes of sweet summer hay, broom blossom and honey. It has good crisp acidity and is well balanced with flavours of pear, quince and lime.

Perard Lobster Soup(Soup de Homard Perard) – one of the finest lobster soups you can try! It is also great as an ingredient in Lobster Thermidor or Lobster Bisque. I would recommend Chateau Vrai Caillou “Les Vignes de la Garène” 2010 to pair with this soup – it’s a lovely Bordeaux White Wine with aromas of melon, ripe fig and acacia blossom. With flavours of peach, lemon and a hint of smoke and spice this is a bright, fresh and elegant wine that lovers of white wines will really appreciate.

I have some traditional French recipes for the foodies amongst you to try!

Bouillabaisse

4 lbs red mullet
1 conger eel, in 4 slices
10 small crabs
3 lbs red scorpion fish
3 lbs monkfish
3 lbs red gurnard
3 lbs John Dory
2 lbs tomatoes, cut in 4
4 onions, sliced
2 garlic cloves, mashed
2 tbsp tomato purée
Olive oil
Bouquet of herbs: dill (2 sprigs); laurel (1 leaf); parsley (1sprig); orange peel (1)
Salt, fresh pepper
2 tsp saffron

In a large pan slowly heat the onions with olive oil and garlic. Add tomatoes and tomato purée, raise the heat. Add 3 litres of water, bouquet of herbs, orange peel, mullet, eel, crabs, salt and pepper. Cook uncovered at moderate heat for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the bouquet of herbs and the orange peel. Add the John Dory and the monkfish. Add saffron. Add red gurnard and scorpion fish. Boil again for 6 minutes.

To serve: remove the large fish and put them on a serving platter. Prepare slices of bread. Pour in the Bouillabaisse over the bread. Traditionally Bouillabaisse is served with Rouille, a type of mayonnaise made with garlic and olive oil.

La Bourride

1.5 kg monkfish
1 orange
3 tomatoes
about ½ litre of grapeseed oil
13 garlic cloves
2 large glasses of white wine
2 onions
3 egg yolks
½ tsp saffron
juice of ½ a lemon
sprig of thyme
salt and black pepper

In a large pan bring to the boil the roughly chopped tomatoes and onions, 5 cloves of garlic, the thyme, saffron, orange zest, about 2 tbsp. of the grapeseed oil, one glass of white wine, and 1 litre of water. Simmer for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, pound the remaining garlic to a purée in a pestle and mortar (or liquidise). Blend in 2 egg yolks and add salt and pepper. Gradually beat in the remaining grapeseed oil in a thin stream, using a whisk, until you feel the aioli is thick enough. Add lemon juice to taste and leave on one side.

Cut the skinned and boned fish into chunks and add it to the saucepan. Poach for 15 minutes. Then remove the fish with a draining spoon and keep warm. Sieve the stock and discard the vegetables. Return the stock to the pan and reheat gently. Take about half of the aioli and beat the remaining egg yolk into it. Then slowly pour the warmed stock onto it, stirring constantly. Return this mixture to the pan and heat gently, stirring all the time, until it thickens slightly. Don’t let it boil, or it will curdle. Divide the cooked fish between serving bowls and pour the soup over it. Serve with thin slices of toasted French bread and the remaining aioli.

Cotriade

1.5 kg various types of fish (mackerel, monkfish)
500 g potatoes
100 g butter
litres of water
3 onions
3 cloves of garlic
parsley, bay leaf and thyme, chopped
1 bunch sorrel, stems removed, chopped
a few slices of farmhouse bread, toasted
salt and pepper

Clean the fish well, gut and cut into pieces, reserving the heads. Boil the water. Peel the potatoes and cut into pieces. Peel and chop the onions, peel the garlic. In a large pan, fry the onion in butter. When golden, add the potatoes and mix well. Pour over the boiling water and then add the garlic, herbs and sorrel. Season.

Boil for approximately 20 minutes. Add the fish pieces and continue to simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Taste the stock and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Sieve and pour into a warmed soup dish. Arrange the potatoes and fish in soup plates. Pour over stock and ladle over the toasted bread.

Bon Appetit!

Having compared this vintage with 2007, 2002 and 2001 there are a few wines whose quality has stood out from the mediocrity available this year. By choosing your wines wisely there are a few great wines to be had which not only offer great quality but also great value.

Pricing so far in the 2011 En Primeur campaign has not been what wine merchants and Bordeaux enthusiasts were hoping for with some chateaux being obviously over priced for the scores they have achieved by leading wine critics. However there are 2 gems so far that have beaten their peers hands down – and not just with their sensible pricing. Wines I would highly recommend you should consider buying because I think there is only one way their prices are going!

My first recommendation is a wine that not only scored higher than Chateau Lafite Rothschild 2011 andPetrus 2011 (both scored 90 – 93 points by Parker) but is also a fraction of the price at £33.25 a bottle. (Lafite currently on offer at £416 a bottle) The wine is Chateau La Fleur Morange 2011. A St.Emilion estate which Parker scored 92 – 94+ My blog entry for when I tasted it back in April was my comparison of the 2011 vintage was somewhere between the 2009 and 2010 vintage and I was pleased to see Parker agreed with me– his notes are quoted below:

“A more classic cuvee, the 2011 La Fleur Morange (cropped at 20 hectoliters per hectare) is a blend of equal parts Cabernet Franc and Merlot that may have the highest natural alcohol of any wine in this vintage, 15%. Stunningly pure notes of black cherries and black currant liqueur intermixed with licorice, incense and acacia flowers are followed by a dense, full-bodied, unctuously-textured wine that seems to have more in common with a vintage such as 2009 or 2010 than most 2011s. The wine’s acidity is lower than in most of its peers, but the levels of concentration and intensity are very high. This beauty should drink well for 15-20 years.”

My second recommendation is Mathilde de La Fleur Morange 2011. This achieved a Parker score of 90 – 92 – on a par with likes of Lafite, Petrus, Cos (£90 a bottle) and Forts de Latour and at £2 a glass (£12 a bottle) represents fantastic value. I cannot think of any other wine being released during this campaign, which will offer you better value for your money than this which comes with a Parker rating of 90-92 points!

Parker noted “Gros is a notorious late harvester and naturalist, and his 2011 La Fleur Morange Mathilde (100% Merlot) is bottled early in order to give consumers a joyous, fruit-driven, hedonistic wine with a whopping 14.5% natural alcohol. A sleeper of the vintage, it offers copious notes of blueberry confiture interwoven with kirsch, spring flowers and subtle oak. This medium to full-bodied, full-throttle, delicious, silky smooth, palate-filling wine can be enjoyed over the next 6-8 years.”

So why is it that this Chateau has succeeded in 2011 where better known labels have failed you may ask? There is no easy answer to this question but what i do know is that the Chateaux not only has a unique terroir (the only one of its kind in the St.Emilion appellation) but the owner Jean-Francois Julien, pruned the foliage back on the vines very late this year protecting the fruit from the intense heat that Bordeaux experienced during the summer. Therefore the grapes did not fry as many property’s experienced but remained opulent, juicy and full. Grapes must have exposure to the sun to ripen but too much sun or too little protection shrivels them up and when that happens the fruit produces little juice to make wine which is invariably of inferior quality.

Jean-Francois and his wife Veronique are not only making excellent wines but they also keep their pricing at a realistic levels as they remain not only in touch with their vines but also the market place. Parker has followed La Fleur Morange for some time now and the wines are becoming renowned on the world stage. Both wines have won a string of awards and as he says: “I have enjoyed these two offerings in just about every vintage I have tasted. Well-known oenologist Claude Gros appears to be building a decent portfolio of clients in Bordeaux, even though he is from Narbonne in the Languedoc-Roussillon corridor.”

If like many you have been following the same labels for a number of years and finding that their prices are now getting beyond your reach or do not offer you what they once did perhaps it may be a time for a change. A change that will give you better value for your money without sacrificing the quality you once associated with Bordeaux. Perhaps Parker points are not the be all but it’s a great indication of quality and at £12 or £33 a bottle with the ratings these wines have achieved what have you got to lose?

As the En Primeur campaign progresses I will bring other wines to your attention should the quality and price represent good value.

Happy drinking!

Interest In Wine

www.interestinwine.co.uk

]]> http://bordeaux-undiscovered.co.uk/blog/2012/05/90-92-parker-points-at-2-a-glass-ep-what-a-bargain/feed/ 2 http://bordeaux-undiscovered.co.uk/blog/2012/05/book-review-david-copp-%e2%80%93-bordeaux-saint-estephe-%e2%80%93-the-wines-of-a-great-commune/ http://bordeaux-undiscovered.co.uk/blog/2012/05/book-review-david-copp-%e2%80%93-bordeaux-saint-estephe-%e2%80%93-the-wines-of-a-great-commune/#comments Wed, 09 May 2012 17:03:50 +0000 Nick http://bordeaux-undiscovered.co.uk/blog/?p=3403 Continue reading →]]> I thoroughly enjoyed reading David Copp’s latest book and highly recommend it to lovers of Bordeaux wines. The book ‘Bordeaux St Estephe: The Wines of A Great Commune’ focuses on St Estephe in detail and is a treasure trove of information for both the wine connoisseur and the amateur wine enthusiast. David Copp is a wine writer and journalist who trained in the wine trade in Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, Rhine and Moselle and won a WSET scholarship to study Sherry in Jerez de la Frontera. With 20 years experience in the UK wine and spirit trade he has a wealth of experience and insider knowledge. A frequent visitor to St Estephe over the last 50 years David Copp reckons that this appellation offers “some of the best value-for-money wines that claret enthusiasts can buy.”

St Estephe is the most northern appellation of the Médoc. It sits on the left bank of the Garonne and is the closest appellation to the mouth of the River Gironde, where it joins the Atlantic Sea. David Copp takes his readers through the background of Saint Estephe in the first few chapters of his book including the history of Bordeaux; the climate, soil and grapes of St Estephe, wine making techniques and advances and the recent vintages of 2009 and 2010. His style is straight forward, informative and is packed with insights which gives a good flavour of how the appellation developed and what it now stands for. As he says:

“There are now some 55 chateaux in the commune. Many of them are owned by sophisticated wine producers from elsewhere, attracted by the uniqueness of the terroir and the more reasonable cost of land compared with Pauillac, Saint Julien and Margaux. They have invested heavily in soil analysis, replanting, in new winery equipment and have brought in fresh wine making talent and experience. The results have been spectacular. Perhaps the strongest reason for re-appraising Saint Estephe is that as the cost of classified growth wines has escalated in response to world demand, the real claret enthusiast can find outstanding value-for-money wines from properties that share similar climate and soil conditions.”

The heart of the book has an invaluable review of 45 chateaux from the appellation; from their history to their current wine making and vineyard practices. These often include accounts from his interviews with the personalities behind the scenes – the vintners and oenologists – as well as his own notes from vertical tastings. This is a wonderful piece of work which really opens your eyes to the potential of sometimes over looked and under valued chateaux in Saint Estephe.

To conclude David Copp assesses the future for wine in Bordeaux and Saint Estephe in particular. His arguments are convincing and to my mind eminently sensible. In his opinion “St Estephe has strengthened its position by investing in its terroir and its wineries, by attracting talented wine makers and producing classical style wines at affordable prices . . . The UK, with its long association with Bordeaux, provides a clear cut opportunity for the better value-for-money St Estephe wines.”

This is a book that I will refer to again and again – the amount of detail you find at your finger tips is a real eye opener and I found the book a fascinating read. If you are interested in buying a copy the book is soon to appear on Amazon.com and is published by Inform & Enlighten Ltd, 47 Fontmell Close, St Albans, AL3 5HU. I must also thank Peter May from the Pinotage Club for drawing my attention to it!

Wine enthusiasts may also be interested in other books that David Copp has written:

• Hungary: Its Fine wines and Winemakers
• Tokaj: A Companion for the Bibulous Traveler
• Australian Wine Walkabout: Notes from Visits to Australian Fine Winemakers

A group of students, ‘

The charity they are raising money for is ‘Neuf de Coeur‘, which was established by Florence Papin and her husband, the famous football player Jean-Pierre Papin. Shortly after the birth of their daughter Emily they discovered that she had severe brain damage. Whilst trying to find a solution to their daughter’s illness they met up with Mr and Mrs Le Dean, parents of Anne, who had discovered a rehabilitation technique used in the United States using multi-sensory stimulation. Both families decided to cross the Atlantic to try this method which proved to be very helpful for both little girls.

Back in France, the four parents decided to form an association to support families facing the same issues: ‘Neuf de Coeur‘. The name is a combination of Jean-Pierre Papin’s famous number he wore on his football shirt and the word ‘coeur’, meaning ‘heart’, which stands for the love they have for their daughter Emily. The association offers advice, financial support and access to treatments little known in France.

The students are sailing in the boat ‘Feeling 44′ and depart from the Quai de Chartrons in Bordeaux this Wednesday, 9^th May. Their schedule is as follows:

Wednesday 9 May at 12am:
Departure from Bordeaux on the Chartrons docks next to the H14. There will be a send off with stands and tents offering wine tastings; the press will be in attendance and visitors are welcome.

Thursday 10 May at 1pm:
Arrival in La Rochelle with an over night stop. Friday there will be wine tastings and fund raising events on the dock.

Saturday 12 May at 3pm:
Arrival in Lorient with an overnight stop. Sunday there will be wine tastings and fund raising events on the dock.

Monday 14 May at 10am:
Departure from Lorient to Bristol.

Wednesday 16 May at 2pm:
Arrival in Bristol. Visitors are welcome and there will be a wine auction at Freemason’s Hall, 31 Park Street, BS1 5NH (7.30pm) as well as wine tastings and Bordelaise food, tents and stands.

If you are in the area it would be great if you could show your support! The Route Des Vins website is http://laroutedesvins-ece.com/en and you can also find them on Twitter @LaRouteDesVins1.

Whilst at the 2011 En Primeur tastings this year I noticed that more white Bordeaux wines seemed to be blended with Sauvignon Gris than before. On checking this out I read that according to figures obtained by the Interprofessional Council of Bordeaux Wine (CIVB), the production of Sauvignon Gris is increasing in popularity with Bordeaux chateau producing white wines. Sauvignon Gris is somewhat of a mystery – it’s a forgotten grape that is a mutation of the better known Sauvignon Blanc. It only counts for 2% of the white grape varieties of Bordeaux (332 hectares). However it is finding favour amongst the Grand Cru Class

Valandraud Blanc.

Sauvignon Gris tends to mature very early and has a high sugar level. The grapes are a beautiful dusky pink/apricot colour and they have thick skins. However the main drawback of Sauvignon Gris is its low yield and at one point it nearly became extinct in Bordeaux. After the phylloxera epidemic the grape became obsolete but in the early 1980s Jacky Preys rediscovered it in Touraine in the Loire (see Bertrand Celce’s Wine Terroirs Blog for the full story).

The grapes produce a wine which is less aromatic than Sauvignon Blanc but the acidity level is good and the pale straw coloured wines are rounded and rich. Sauvignon Gris is grown in Chile, Australia and New Zealand (Brancott Estate make a 100% Sauvignon Gris single variety wine) as well as France and the flavours can be of grapefruit, gorse blossom, passion fruit, lychee and pear with flinty notes of smoke and toast depending on where – and how – the wine is made.

History on the origins of Sauvignon Gris is scarce and no one knows where it originated, though it is presumed to be somewhere in South West France. It’s known locally as Fié Gris – which translates as ‘reliable grey’ or Surin de Poitou meaning ‘superintendent of Poitou’ which may reflect the fact that it is a trustworthy addition to the blended whites of Bordeaux.

In a recent article by Karyne Duplessis Piché, Daniel Cathiard, owner of Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte said that he is a strong supporter of Sauvignon Gris. When he bought the estate in 1990, all the grapevines of this variety had been grubbed up. He replanted and now own a hectare of the variety. Yann Laudeho, oenologist at the chateau, said that Sauvignon Gris brings a lot more minerality and density: ‘it highlights the terroir. It gives the wine a racy side.’

At Chateau Pape Clement, Philippe, son of Bernard Magrez, is also an advocate of Sauvignon Gris and it makes up 5% of the blend of the Pape Clement Blanc: ‘it brings additional complexity. This is an aromatic grape variety and a little less long in the mouth as the Sauvignon Blanc. We love it!’

I am wondering if we will continue to see more plantings of Sauvignon Gris as the weather patterns affect Bordeaux’s climate? DEFRA list it as one of the grape varieties grown here in the UK to make English wine – if it can survive here it certainly has a lot of bottle! It also has a growing number of fans who find the single varietal wines captivating and intriguing – perhaps it will turn out to be a new star for Bordeaux after all.

Photo Credit Mingot Julien, Chateau Marshals

Regular readers over the years know that I enjoy a good wine film every now and then – I really enjoyed

Briefly the book is about the most expensive bottle of wine ever sold: “In 1985, at a heated auction by Christie’s of London, a 1787 Chateau Lafite Bordeaux—unearthed in a Paris cellar and supposedly owned by Thomas Jefferson—went for $156,000 to a member of the Forbes family. The discoverer of the bottle was Hardy Rodenstock, a pop-band manager turned wine collector with a knack for finding extremely old and exquisite wines. But rumours about the bottle soon arose. Why wouldn’t Rodenstock reveal the exact location where it had been found? Was it part of a smuggled Nazi hoard? Or did his reticence conceal an even darker secret? Pursuing the story from London to Zurich to Munich and beyond, Benjamin Wallace offers a mesmerizing history of wine and of Jefferson’s wine-soaked days in France. Suspenseful, witty, and thrillingly strange, this is the vintage tale of what could be the most elaborate con since the Hitler diaries.”

In 2005 William Koch, a billionaire Florida wine collector (and the chairman of Oxbow Corp), bought some of the bottles and subsequently sued Rodenstock (and Christie’s) for putting the counterfeit wine bottles into circulation. Koch assembled a team of former FBI and British intelligence agents, wine and glass experts, Sotheby’s former head of wine sales, David Molyneux-Berry and even a nuclear physicist to investigate the authenticity of the bottles.

Scientific testing of the 1787 Chateau Lafite wine concluded inconclusively that it had been made before 1945. But after working with glass specialists, Koch holds that the Th. J. initials on the bottles were engraved using ‘an electric power tool or tools with a flexible shaft’ that did not exist in the 18th Century. Additionally Thomas Jefferson’s Virginia museum-home at Monticello said there is no historic evidence that Jefferson ever engraved his initials on any bottles of wine.

The court case ticks on and Reuters reported yesterday on the progress of Koch’s lawsuit in the Court of Appeals here. There is also a very interesting interview with the author Benjamin Wallace by Vim over at 12×75.com.

Actor Will Smith, as part of a Hollywood consortium, bought the rights to the book and the New York Times has Brad Pitt listed in the Acting Credits. Will Smith is one of the producers and the Director is David Keopp (who was screenwriter on films such as Men In Black III, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, War of the Worlds and The Taking of Pelham 123).

Apart from its undoubted entertainment value the film highlights how fraud relating to historic wines from top producers causes difficulties for collectors. It also opens a door into the rarefied world of billionaires who spend thousands for just a bottle of wine. Once again it proves that you MUST check the provenance of your wine before you commit to buying it. If it looks too good to be true, it probably is.

One of the big questions that has arisen from the contentious 2011 vintage seems to be

Parker’s scores are out and deserve some serious attention. John, a customer and a friend, sent me a great piece of analysis comparing the back vintages of Parker scores with those of 2011. I would say, with a wink, the he is obviously like me – a sad chap who sits and ponders about Bordeaux on rainy Saturday afternoons. His analysis says everything: the 2011 is NOT better than the 2008.

Looking at Parker’s scores the 2011 vintage is more similar to the 2007 (which only confirms my thoughts during the En Primeur tastings) and from John’s analysis seems now evidently akin to the 2002 vintage. At the time of reporting the 2011 vintage is well below the likes of 2008, 2006, 2003 and 2001 – and of course the great vintages of 2000, 2005, 2009 and 2010. John’s analysis looked at all the Bordeaux vintages since 2000 to show how many wines have been given 94 points or better by Parker in each vintage. The vintages are placed in order of superiority using this rational. You can read his analysis for yourself below:

2009 98

2005 78

2000 56

2010 53

2008 43

2006 30

2003 29

2001 19

2011 7 are 94 or more at present. 42 have 94 in their range. Likely to get around 15 in total

2004 10

2002 7

2007 5

John says: ‘I think that this is a very interesting result and once again indicated that 2008 is not a bad vintage at all even after the re-rating down by Parker. It still stands well clear of 2001, 2003 and 2006.’

Given the spin and the unrealistic pricing policy of the 2011s Bordeaux wine lovers need to consider buying the wines very carefully. There are wines from less prestigious chateaux that have achieved high scores, cost less and are arguably a much better buy.

For example the 2011 La Fleur Morange (which could soon see Grand Cru status) – a favourite of both mine and John’s – came in joint 21^st highest mark out of over 350 Bordeaux reds tasted by Parker if you take 94+ points are higher than 94. As you can see La Fleur Morange beat such wines as Cos d’Estournal, Leoville Poyferre, Montrose, Calon Segur, Lynch Bages, Petrus and even Lafite. When all these prices come out La Fleur Morange is going to be a bargain – especially when you consider the Lafite is now selling circa £458 a bottle and La Fleur Morange should be around £45. What’s more the Second Wine, Mathilde, was scored at 90-92 – the same score as Cos d’Estournel and Forts de Latour. Mathilde is usually released at about £15 a bottle – Cos has been released and is currently in excess of £100 a bottle. Need I say more?

See John’s analysis below:

Ausone (96-100)

Vieux Chateau Certan (94-96)

Gracia (94-96)

Cheval Blanc (94-96)

Le Pin (94-96)

Le Dome (94-96)

Chateau Margaux (94-96+)

La Mission Haut Brion (93-95)

Ducru Beaucaillou (93-95)

Pontet-Canet (93-95)

Mouton-Rothschild (93-96)

Latour (93-95)

Les Asteries (93-95)

Pavie (93-95)

Leoville-Las Cases (93-95+)

La Violette (93-95)

L’Eglise Clinet (92-95)

Haut Brion (92-95)

Angelus (92-95)

Vieux Chateau Mazerat (92-95)

La Fleur Morange (92-94+)

Bellevue Mondotte (92-94+)

Peby Faugeres (92-94+)

Palmer (92-94+)

So, if you are considering purchasing some of the 2011s, buy sensibly, do your homework and spend your money wisely. Alternatively look at past vintages where there are some great wines to be had!

Here is a copy of the Blog below – Happy Hunting!

Sceptics amongst you will say that the words ‘Budget’ and ‘Bordeaux’ should never be used in the same sentence. However sometimes we forget that the wines that Bordeaux is famous for – the great Grand Cru Classés – only represent a tiny fraction of this ancient wine growing region. Bordeaux has a wide range of high quality, good value wines that most of us simply miss out on.

The reasons for this are straight forward: these wines are snapped up locally, never reaching the larger market outside France and often not even reaching beyond Bordeaux. Their production is small – hence the name ‘Petit Chateaux’ – and supermarkets are only interested in large volumes of wines with which to stack their shelves for the mass market, so they slip under the radar. Many Petit Chateaux don’t have the finances to spend on advertising and marketing – their wines depend on their reputation and word of mouth. I believe they actually represent some of the best value Bordeaux available. You just need to know where to look!

I have a set of tips for you to track down these hidden gems based on ‘Where, Who, When and How?’

Where and Who?

It’s important to remember that rural backwaters were not always so. Times change; fashions come and go, chateaux rise and fall and appellations drop out of favour but you’ll find that the wines from lesser known AOCs and chateaux today were sometimes the most desired in the past.

Over looked appellations can be a treasure trove for wine makers and consumers alike. You’ll find that quite a few of the Grand Cru Classé have recognised the sleeping potential of these appellations and have second estates in ‘rural backwaters’ that benefit from their wine making teams’ expertise. These wines are a fraction of the price of their classified cousins.

• A good example is the little appellation Canon Fronsac which has been renowned for its wines for centuries – the very first Bordeaux wine ever to appear in a Christie’s catalogue in 1780 refers to “a hogshead of Canon Claret.” However nowadays you can find finely crafted wines here that are very reasonably priced. For example Chateau La Croix Canon (average price £15) is owned by the Moueix family who also own Chateau Petrus – one of the most expensive wines in the world.

• Fronsac is also home to some super wines: Chateau de La Rivière is owned by Vignobles Gregoire and the oenologist is the talented Claude Gros (who consults at Chateau La Fleur Morange, Grand Cru Saint Emilion). Other chateaux worth looking out for are Chateaux Dalem, Fontenil (owned by none other than the renowned oenologist Michel Rolland) and Haut Carles (Jean Luc Thunevin of the cult wine Chateau Valandraud, Saint Emilion, is the consulting oenologist here).

• The Côtes de Bordeaux: Blaye, Bourg, Castillon and Francs are dotted with promising chateaux producing excellent value wines. Well-known producers such as Bernard Magrez (owner of Chateau Pape Clement in Pessac Leognan) have estates in the Côtes of Blaye (Chateau Perenne) and Bourg (Chateau Guerry). François Mitjavile of the Saint Emilion Grand Cru Tertre Roteboeuf also owns an estate in Bourg.

• The AOC Côtes de Castillon is now one of the most fashionable of all the Bordeaux satellites with several prominent winemakers buying chateaux there. The family Perse of Chateau Pavie, Premier Cru Classé B Saint Emilion, have acquired 3 chateaux in the appellation: Château Sainte Colombe being the most reasonably priced. Count Stefan von Neipperg of Château Canon La Gaffelière, Grand Cru Saint Emilion, owns Chateau d’Aiguilhe and Francois Despagne of Chateau Grand Corbin Despagne handles 5 hectares of Chateau Ampelia.

• The Côtes de Francs has benefited from several famous wine growing families buying château there. Dominique Hebrard, previously co-owner of Chateau Cheval Blanc, and Hubert de Boüard – owner and oenologist of Chateau Angélus were among the first to arrive when they bought Chateau de Francs. Thanks to the efforts of these dynamic entrepreneurs, the Côtes de Francs have started catching up with their past glories of the last century, when their commercial value was on a par with that of the wines of Saint Emilion. Hebrard also produces wines from Petit Chateaux Chadeuil and Graves de Barrau, both retailing for under £9.

• The Thienpont Family (owners of Vieux Chateau Certan and Le Pin in Pomerol) also have a strong presence in the Côtes de Francs. George Thienpont bought Chateau Puygueraud in 1946. Nicolas Thienpont owns Châteaux La Prade and Laclaverie and Dominique Thienpont owns Clos Fontaine.

• Chateau Clos Chaumont in Côtes de Cadillac, owned by Pieter Verbeek, is another good value wine – Hubert de Bouard owner of Chateau Angelus is the Managing Director of the estate.

• AOCS that are better known for their white wines can throw up some surprisingly good reds! The Entre Deux Mers and Graves both produce extremely well made reds which are definitely worth hunting out. The Entre Deux Mers is an AOC where enterprising wine makers frequently re-discover the long lost potential in a crumbling estate with neglected, forgotten vines and surprise their critics by working hard, investing savings and effort to bring great wines back to life. Chateau Pellebouc in the Entre Deux Mers is owned by Pascale and Baudouin of the famous Thienpont family and offers great value for money.

• Graves is home to several lesser estates owned by Grand Cru Classé – Chateau Pessan is a superb red made by the owners of the Sauternes Second Growth Chateau de Malle.

• Saint Emilion also offers a few surprises – watch out for Chateaux de Fonbel and Simard. Both of these estates are owned by the Vauthier family of the Premier Cru Classé A Saint Emilion Chateau Ausone – and both are reasonably priced, although I expect Simard‘s price to escalate rapidly should it achieve the Grand Cru status the Vauthiers are seeking – they only inherited the estate in 2008.

• Saint Emilion is surrounded by 6 satellite communes which once sold their wines under the Saint Emilion AOC: Lussac, Montagne, Parsac, Puisseguin, Sables, and Saint Georges. These little communes have the right to append Saint Emilion to their names and you can find some super wines amongst them that cost significantly less than the prices their big brothers command.

• Sauternes and Barsac may dominate Bordeaux’s sweet wine production but lesser appellations of Sainte Croix du Mont (which sits on vast fossilised oyster beds that give it an exceptional terroir), Loupiac, Sainte Foy, Cadillac, Cérons,Haut Benauge and Saint Macaire also produce these luscious dessert wines at bargain prices. Watch out for more wines from these AOCs becoming available due to the growing trend for sweet wine in the USA and Asia.

 When and How?

Many lesser known Petit Chateaux have reaped the rewards of better wine making techniques and advances in technology but you need to remember that some vintages are better than others. Petit Chateaux wines are also made to drink younger as they don’t really have the ageing capacity of the Grand Cru Classés.

• Good vintages for red wines are 2005, 06, 07, 08, 09 and 10.

•  Good vintages for sweet whites are 2001, 03, 05, 07 and 11.

• Good vintages for dry whites are 2001, 05, 07, 08, 10 and 11

The biggest question is how do you acquire these wines? My answer is to hunt down independent wine merchants who have an interest in Bordeaux. You can either find them online or in your locality. They will be delighted to talk to you about their range of wines – after all this is their area of expertise and, more often than not, their passion!