Ten Bordeaux Wines You Need to Try in 2017
2010 Château Haut-Brisson, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru (Boston) $33Note: Deeply colored, filled with dark fruit, licorice, and earthy aromas. Dense and structured, this St. Emilion from the Vignonet should age well.
2012 Château de Fontenille, Bordeaux (Boston) $15Note: A very pleasant ruby color, well-structured and full-bodied, this is elegant and round on the palate with a fine, lingering finish.
2012 Clos du Jaugueyron, Haut-Médoc (LA)Note: The wine is forward, round, and offers a nice dose of flowers, blackberry, espresso, and cocoa, with a medium-full bodied palate presence and a round, fruit-filled finish.
2009 Château Doisy-Védrines, Sauternes (LA) $19 (375 mL) $37-52 (750 mL)Note: The palate is medium-bodied with layers of viscous, honeyed fruit, superb acidity, and wonderful precision on the finish.
2012 Château la Fleur de Boüard, Lalande-de-Pomerol (Houston) $25-40Note: On the palate, the wine is packed with sweet and fresh black cherries, raspberries, and dark chocolate with plush and sexy black raspberry, plum, cocoa, earth, and spice aromas.
2011 Denis Dubourdieu “Clos Floridène Blanc”, Graves (NYC) $23-35Note: To the nose, mixed fruit (apple, honey, peach) with very slight herbal quality. On the palate, some lemon and grapefruit with slight pineapple. Good minerality and classical round mouth feel.
2011 Château Jean Faux, Bordeaux Supérieur (NYC) $24Note: Medium bodied with floral and cherry vanilla scents, tannic and slightly dry in the finish.
2010 Château Doisy-Védrines, Sauternes (Montreal) $25 (375 mL) $37-50Note: Dripping in caramelized fruit, sultanas, with a lovely nuttiness too. The density is wonderful while the all-important acidity keeps it fresh.
2010 Château Cardinal Villemaurine, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru (Toronto) $28 (Available in Canada)Note: Packed with oak, licorice, black raspberry, cocoa and plummy scents, the wine is fleshy, ripe, fresh, concentrated, plummy and easy to drink.
2010 Château Brillette, Moulis-en-Médoc (Toronto) $32 Note: Fruit and leather on the nose with apparent new oak.
As many of these wines were selected locally by sommeliers in their respective cities, some of these wines may not be widely available; however, we do urge you to make your own quick search online or ask your local sales clerk or sommelier for their suggestions as well. Cheers to the New Year!
