Good Value Right Bank Bordeaux, 2003
Bordeaux has a reputation for producing expensive wines, and for those drinking on a restrictive budget it can be difficult to sample the delights that this region has to offer. Forming a wine tasting group is one way to lessen the financial impact, and enables you to taste multiple bottles, and I wholeheartedly recommend this practice. But what of drinking wine at home, with a meal, as wine is really intended to be consumed. How can the Bordeaux drinker on a budget get the fix he or she needs without breaking the bank?
There are several approaches to this problem. Purchasing off-vintage wines is one method, but it demands careful research to avoid the disappointing bottles. Others opt for the hierarchical approach, purchasing lesser wines (preferably from great vintages). These can be wines from great châteaux – Clos de Marquis made by the same team as Château Léoville-Las-Cases is an appropriate example – but even these can be pricy. Another option is to step down the staircase of appellations, taking wines from cru bourgeois châteaux and even those that qualify for only the basic Bordeaux appellation. Careful selection here can reveal cru classé quality from the former group, and certainly some classically styled wines from the latter.
Please log in to continue reading: