Cheap Bordeaux 2015

WINE TALK
1

I tasted a couple of good ones this week, both available in NY:

Château Beyran - Bordeaux

Plump, fulsome and charming with good volumes of ripe fruit, mainly plum and blackcurrant and a well-rounded finish. There’s a slight sweetness which is not at all cloying. It’s made in a traditional style, so no oak that I could discern and it isn’t over-concentrated, nor too strong - 13°. Not much in the way of tannins, so very enjoyable now. It reminds me of similar wines from vintages like 1990 or even 1982. The sort of wine which puts a smile on your face after a long day at work.
This cost me 4€ - you can find it for $10 here:

Château Bellevue-Claribes - Bordeaux Supérieur

Made in a more modern style, so darker and richer than the Beyran, without being spoofy: maybe a hint of oak, but no chocolate or mocha aromas or flavours. The nose is more pronounced, with leather and spice accompanying notes of dark cherry. In the mouth, there is a little more structure and some tannins, but they do not really intrude. Flavours of dark cherry mainly, with hints of blackberry developing, leather and spice. Not as sweet as the Beyran, but deeper. The balance is good, but this is stronger at 14° and it shows with a little heat on the finish.
This also cost me 4€ and can be found here for $12:
https://www.citywinemerchant.com/?method=products.productDrilldown&productID=8550C13B-AD3C-A3EC-8110-953061441ACF&originalMarketingURL=product/Chateau-Bellevue-Claribes-Bordeaux-2015

I had never tried these before and the only reason I bought them was the price - I always get loads of wines like these in good vintages. In terms of scoring, which I’m not a massive fan of, I suppose for their intrinsic quality they should get 85 pts, but in terms of pleasure, they both deserve a good 90 pts. They’re both much more fun to drink than the fading, grippy Gruaud 2002 I had last weekend.
I preferred the Beyran, but it depends on your taste.
They’re both great reminders of how good Bordeaux can be at producing unpretentious quality wines at low prices.
Neither is a “wonderful revelation” for which I’m preening myself - I’m sure there are countless others like these in 2015 - but they are certainly worth trying. I’ll report back on any others in due course.

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Thanks for posting.

Bordeaux’s glory is its châteaux. But this cuts both ways…
It makes many “Anglo-Saxons” equate Bordeaux with the expensive great growths.
And, even at the petit château level, estates can only produce so much.
That means the good wine you buy today may not be available in a few months, or able to be found in another city…

The number of châteaux in Bordeaux is dizzying. Therefore, you either have to adopt a “hit or miss” approach or else buy on recommendation. The latter is difficult in that the wine trade does not seem to have such a good handle on affordable Bordeaux, and I know of few publications or websites that share notes/scores for this category.

All the best,
Alex R.

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Cheers Alex - yes I agree, for value Bordeaux it’s hard to find good advice. Neal Martin has been doing his bit for them at TWA and I hope he will continue doing so at Vinous, but there isn’t really anyone else.
Hence the usefulness of threads like this one!