2010 Chateau Bertinerie

[Nicklasss]

Most of the time, i'm jalous of the situation of AlexR: living in Bordeaux and having access to the full potential the vineyards have to offer.

But some of the best reasonable priced Bordeaux make it to Québec. Chateau Bertinerie, a Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux, has always been a super quality/price ratio. But in a vintage like 2010, it is even more true!

With it's pigeon blood color, that wine has a very nice and generous nose of blakberries, tobacco, light vanilla, plums, dark red berries, green pepper, and a light touch of cocoa. Want it or not, a complex nose. In mouth, a very nice balance. Very nice attack on roasted blackberries, austere oak, light spices. Mid palate is tasty, with light vegetal and green tobacco or tea. Good tanins all the time, finish on black prunes, with medium acidity, decent lenght and more blackberries on the far end. A very nice wine that benefits from that strong vintage, that the vinegrower and winemaker controlled well. Tn: 88-89. Drinkable now, will be even better in 5-7 more years. I like it!

Nic

[JimHow]

Nice.

[Nicklasss]

A generous but still in balanced 13.5 % alcohol, in that 60 % merlot, 10 % cabernet franc and 30 % cabernet sauvignon wine.

Nic

[JimHow]

Yes. 2010 + 13.5%. Hard to go wrong with that combination.

The only thing better would be 2002L + 12.5%.

[Rudi Finkler]

Tanks for the nice note, Nic! I have never seen Bertinerie in the wine shops here in our region, but we had an excellent bottle of 2001 Haut-Bertinerie in a restaurant a few years ago. Seems to be one of the numerous underrated châteaux from the so called satellite appellations.

[dstgolf]

Sounds good Nic. Saq has it for $18.35 and this weekend 10% off. Great QPR. Again you are showing 2010 and 2009 are like shooting fish in a barrel. You can't go wrong with any of them from top to bottom.Only problem is there are only 1-3 bottles left in the stores across the river and not worth my while to make the trip this time. I know I'm a little lazy but it's only wine.

[jal]

NIce,
Er, is the color of pigeon blood common knowledge in Canada?

[Nicklasss]

Not at all Jal!

But when I saw that wine in the glass, it reminded me clearly the Pigeon Prince Rainier I ate at François'a wine dinner in 2004! I thought the color of the meat and blood of the volatile was pretty unique.

Nic

[AlexR]

Bertinerie makes good white as well as red.
Retail value in the region of production is about 10 euros.

I'd like to visit the estate. I've heard they have a state-of-the-art winery.

AR

[Antoine]

My niece got married at the chateau de la Bertinerie (about 10++ years ago) so that's what we drank all evening (plus some champagne).
Nice venue, nice wines.