Bordeaux Wine Enthusiasts

Had this last night with other wines, seemed to like it, thought I'd give it more attention tonight....

The 2005 vintage is the first for this sub-$20 wine, which is produced by Jean-Luc Thunevin of Chateau Valandraud. It features a 70-30 blend of merlot and grenache. It garnered a score of 88 and favorable reviews from RMP.

Sometimes these oddly named and cutesy labled wines are good. Rarely great, but good. Sub $20? Merlot-Grenache blend?

Interested.

I think you would like this wine, Alch, it seems very solid. It has a nice finish too. Parker said something to the effect that "Bordeaux needs to make more wines like this," and I agree!

Jim,

If I see it for a decent price I'll probably try it.

The Parker review that came out last year said it was retailing, on average, for something like $15. I got it at the NH Liquor store for $19. It is fairly small production, I guess. I'll tell you, who ever buys the wines for New Hampshire gets his hands on some interesting stuff, the best north of NYC. (Which, obviously, includes Beantown.)

Jim,

I'll be looking for it, for sure.

JimHow wrote:I'll tell you, who ever buys the wines for New Hampshire gets his hands on some interesting stuff, the best north of NYC. (Which, obviously, includes Beantown.)

Must be of Quebecois extraction.

JimHow wrote:The 2005 vintage is the first for this sub-$20 wine, which is produced by Jean-Luc Thunevin of Chateau Valandraud. It features a 70-30 blend of merlot and grenache. It garnered a score of 88 and favorable reviews from RMP.

I got to try this today. My information sheet has rather different grapes: 95% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc from vineyards close to St. Emilion but still classified as AC Bordeaux; over 40yo vines. 14 months in new French oak. 14,5% abv; 5,2g/l acidity and costs, like everything in Finland, more that it does over in the US: 18,05€.

I must admit that I don't tend to enjoy modern styled Bordeaux at all, but I am happy that this wasn't at all the most over-the-top example of the style and that Jim liked it. It is actually a bit difficult to explain why I don't enjoy the modern style, but this wine put my thoughts into slightly better focus. It isn't only the use of lots of new oak but rather it is a holistic issue: those producers who go for overt new oak flavours also seem to go for ripeness (and resulting alcohol) and extraction levels that I am uncomfortable with. I know many here will disagree with me, but I think the charm of Bordeaux is the slight greenness which is so refreshing and food friendly. The modern style seems prasinophobic to me, which is a shame. Each of these in itself might not be a problem to me, but when all come together in one wine, it does become a problem.

So, now with that aside completed, the actual wine? A roasted and vanillary scent, dark, but with strawberry sweetness. Coupled with the creaminess of the oak, I did wonder at times if I had strawberry yoghurt in my glass. Extremely full bodied, creamy, alcoholic finish. I can see why many like this wine (it has been a huge hit in Finland), but it wasn't one for me.

Can it be AC Bordeaux if it has any Grenache? Surely not?

Richard

I was just looking for that note in google where I saw 70-30 merlot-grenache, you are right, I can't believe it has grenache. I saw a note that referred to Otto's 95-5 merlot/cab franc breakdown.

Here's the note from the blog of a "Doctor Vino" that claims the 70-30% merlot/grenache blend, that just can't be right.


Jean-Luc Thunevin is a “bad boy.” So says Robert Parker. The maker of the vin de garage Valandraud may have turned heads thus far in his brief career as a vintner but now he’s turning tables–table wine, that is.

This vintage will be the first vintage of “Bad Boy,” the table wine, produced by Thunevin. Making a quality wine in the administrative category vin de table is a rarity in France.

“The appellation system is still very important for the French consumer,” Jean-Luc Thunevin told me recently. But he is willing to forego it for this wine in order to radically experiment with this wine.

Bad Boy will be a blend of 70-30 blend of merlot and grenache. The grapes for this unusual blend will come from St. Emilion and Thunevin’s property in the Roussillon, respectively. Michel Rolland will be the consulting enologist. “He’s the best blender,” Thunevin told me. The wine has not yet been priced.

The wine will have a picture of a black sheep on the label and Bad Boy in large font.

Vin de table is rare in France since restrictions prohibit producers from stating either the region or even the vintage on the label.

Related: “Merlot-grenache” [Dr. V]

Somebody else has been making a Bordeaux blend doctored with syrah and marketing it as an eighteenth-century style Bordeaux. It's Palmer or one of the other big boys (not bad boys).

Oh no! Does CdP Harry beloved Grenache is invading Bordeaux?

Nic

Got an email today from The Chicago Wine Company (TCWC) offering Bad Boy at a reduced price of $17.50. Only 48 bottles available, so it could already be gone.

Jon

Houndsong wrote:Somebody else has been making a Bordeaux blend doctored with syrah and marketing it as an eighteenth-century style Bordeaux. It's Palmer or one of the other big boys (not bad boys).

Palmer released a bottling like this, because it frankly would be the truest representation of 18th Century Bordeaux. Personally, I have no problem with whatever anyone wants to bottle, as long as they're honest about what they're doing.

Regarding the Bad Boy, never had it, but for some reason I have a hard time getting interested in it and the other project where different producers take different vintages of the same vineyard to make wine. I guess I'm too much of a traditionalist when it comes to Bordeaux.