The no 1 top 100 of Wine Enthusiast Magazine

[Nicklasss]

2011 Château Mayne Guyon: a Blaye, Côtes de Bordeaux, unexpensive, top buy (no 1 of the top 100 of the Wine Enthusiast Magazine, so WEM). You have to be careful with these top wine rated from magazine. This wine is 70% Merlot, 20% cabernet sauvignon and 10% malbec. From my last visit in Bordeaux, i was with AlexR at Château Roland la Garde, and the owner was telling us that the malbec would come back strong in the coming years.

So that wine is very well done. Of course, Blaye is not Saint-Julien or Saint-Émilion, lighter style, but this wine, at that price, and from that vintage, is having a nice medium red color. The nose is nice and with good intensity, ripe red berries, creamy Merlot, sweet cherries, mostly fruity. In mouth, medium power, nice flavors of cherries, light wood, cranberries, red licorice. Pomegranate finish, with light bitterness and very low tannic feeling. Decent medium Bordeaux, with good fruit and low oak/structure. The WEM gave 91 to that wine. As good as it is, I would give more a 84-85. Of course, If you like your red Bordeaux with a good red fruit character, you might prefer it than me. For me, missing some dark/Black berries and tannins.

So very convenient for the low price, but a no 1? 91/100 rating? Never.

Nic