TN: 09 Mauvais Garcon [Bordeaux]

[AKR]

09 Mauvais Garcon [Bordeaux] over two nights, not decanted, much better on the 2nd day. This is Jean Luc Thunevin's entry level 15% (!) abv wine, which is blend of grapes supposedly from Fronsac, Pomerol, and other areas. Mostly merlot, and gets the fancy oak treatment. On the first day I found it kind of sappy, gooey in its fruit forward nature. I would have pegged it for a California county level bottling. It lacked structure or acidic balance. The SO liked it though, and in any case I put the bottle in the fridge. Tonight we each had a last (big) glass with supper, and 24 hours of air had helped. A little more depth, some bouquet, and a little of the grapiness has been deburred. It's solid, and now tastes more like Bordeaux, albeit international styled black fruited ones. Initially I thought it was more for restaurants to sell than connoisseurs to buy themselves, but maybe that was unfair. This is usually a $16-21 wine or so, which seems just a touch high to me, considering its a blended Bordeaux AOC. But I guess if it was served blind it would fit in with many other oaky right bank satellites, around its price point. This bottling is called "Bad Boy" in France and Mauvais Garcon in the US market, so one might see it marketed in different ways. This example was meant for the US market, i.e. no green tax stamp etc. It's an odd, ugly, unhelpful label, btw. I'd give it a B, probably would not buy for the house, but would certainly drink it in a restaurant. It seems to be holding up fine too, and no sedimentation.



The label looks like the creation of a prison's art therapy class

[Nicklasss]

So Mauvais Garçon in english speaking market.

Here, in a french speaking marker, it is named Bad Boy...

Nic