Bordeaux New Arrivals
Click below for my Instagram Live session with Clyde—and excuse the first few moments as we sorted out some technical difficulties! Be sure to follow us on Instagram @klwines for more live programming. We’re on a roll!
2018 Hubert de Boüard Chardonnay Vin de Pays $22.99
Chardonnay from the Bordeaux region! What a novelty. It can’t be labeled Bordeaux, per se, as Chardonnay is not one of the permitted grapes, so it carries the more broad Vin de Pays de l’Antlantique designation. Aside from the novelty factor, it’s delicious! Made by Huberd de Bouard, the force behind turning Chateau Angelus into a first-growth-level wine. This is a fleshy wine with brioche and citrus notes, and lovely lift to brighten the whole package.
2018 Hubert de Boüard Merlot Bordeaux $14.99
Same producer as the above Chardonnay, a single-varietal Merlot that’s a steal at $14.99. There’s nice structure here with sweet spice, ripe fruit, and a touch of leather.
2010 Château Lestage, Listrac $24.99
My favorite of the bunch! Bright cherry fruit and baking spice and sweet tobacco. The tannins have melted a bit but the acid is still zippy and it’s a lovely drink. The acid perhaps can be attributed to its relatively prime spot at 130 feet above sea level (as Clyde says, that’s a mountain for Bordeaux!). The vintage was a landmark one, known for tannins and freshness, and you can see that here by how alive and youthful this wine is.
2007 Château Malescasse, Haut Medoc (1.5L) $34.99
The price tag here for this wine is phenomenal—$35 bucks for a magnum?! Because the bottles are bigger than the standard 750s, there is less exposure to air (even though the amount that leaks through the cork is microscopic, it does affect the wine over time). Anyways, magnums are great for preserving freshness, and this 13-year-old wine is a prime example! It has earthy, peppery minerality that gives way to briary fruit and notes of sweet violet pastille—nice ripe fruit and silky texture.
2006 Château Arnauld, Haut Medoc $21.99
This is just beginning to show secondary characteristics of dried currants and chocolate-covered cherries, with fun spicy notes. Very nice, buoyant acid keeps this lively and interesting. In a great spot now. We sold over 3000 bottles of this last year, and we’re now on our final drop, so grab it now!
2004 Château Haut-Bergey, Pessac Leognan $29.99
Another favorite of the night. Rich, ripe black cherry flavors with tobacco and cedary notes and a supple texture. Jancis Robinson called 2004 perhaps the “last affordable vintage” because of its large, late crop. The wines are massive, but classic in style, and $29.99 is indeed super reasonable for this gorgeous, graceful wine.
1997 Château Grandis, Haut Medoc $18.99
Twenty-three years old and still singing. It was fermented in stainless steel, and I’m guessing that has a lot to do with the bright, well-preserved acid. Apparently this used to be a hunting lodge, but its gravel and clay-filled limestone soils have been producing wines for over 300 years.
1997 Château Gaudin, Pauillac $29.99
This is a layered wine with some mature earthy notes that frame blackberries and nutmeg, while still holding on to its structure. This is relatively new to our Bordeaux portfolio, but Clyde said he’s been intrigued by this property for years after driving by it repeatedly in Pauillac. His curiosity paid off!
1996 Château du Val d’Or, St-Emilion $29.99
Still very fresh with notes of cinnamon and clove and intriguing underpinnings of spearmint and red cherries. Nice silky texture, and drinking so well right now.
- Kate Soto