Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
This has been one of the most reliable wines in Bordeaux over the last 30+ years, and I have enjoyed many vintages of it. It sells for a song, and the 2009 may turn out to be the best they have ever made. This inky purple-colored wine offers up notes of creme de cassis, spring flowers, and forest floor that seem to have more in common with a classified growth than a petite chateau. Medium-bodied, luscious, and rich, this is a beauty to drink over the next 10 years. Range 88-90.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
Though the region is larger than many of its Right Bank neighbors, it is one that consistently produces high quality, well-valued red wines. In fact, Cotes de Castillon can almost be considered a geographical eastern extension of St. Emilion, producing similarly-fashioned reds based on Merlot.
Vineyards in the region’s clay, limestone and sandstone soils produce sturdy red wines. On alluvial terraces, in vineyards closer to the Dordogne River, wines tend to be more supple and fruity. In either case, a great Cotes de Castillon red will be bursting with raspberry, plum and blueberry, have an enticing bouquet of dried flowers and a finish that is plush and opulent.