CHATEAU DES LEOTINS BORDEAUX, FRANCE

The Bordeaux region of south-west France is as recognizable and noteworthy in the wine world as Burgundy, France; Tuscany, Italy; Rioja, Spain; Marlborough, New Zealand; Mendoza, Argentina. All those regions have proven to be reliably good in the production of quality wine year after year, vintage after vintage. Think Pinot Noir, and Burgundy, France, immediately comes to mind; think Chianti, and you think of Tuscany, Italy; think Sauvignon Blanc, and you think of New Zealand; think Bordeaux wine, and you think of the region of Bordeaux, France.

Many countries in the wine world have copied the Bordeaux model of blending red wine grapes. The descriptions of such wines reads BORDEAUX STYLE. The difference, however, is that Bordeaux, France, is very strict about what grapes may be used in the blend; it is limited legally to Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec.

In price, Bordeaux wines range from the inexpensive to the very expensive, worth several thousand dollars.But inexpensive does not imply that the wine isn't good. Chateau Des Leotins (50% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc) is a good, inexpensive, everyday Bordeaux, exhibiting aromas and flavors of plum and blackcurrant; it is dry, medium-bodied, with a firm structure, which is expected of a traditional Bordeaux. Pair with red meat, hearty stews, and grilled Portabella mushrooms.

Taste and see!

LEESE-FITCH CABERNET SAUVIGNON CALIFORNIA

It is difficult to find an inexpensive California Cabernet Sauvignon that satisfies one's expectations of a Cabernet. Although I enjoy all good wines: red, while, and Rose' - I hear that someone has produced a BLUE wine, no kidding - I'm partial to Cabernet Sauvignon, and not exclusively to those from California. A Don Melchior from Chile, a gift to me, might be among the top five wines that I have ever enjoyed. That is now my standard to judge other Cabernet Sauvignons. So, I am very discriminating when it comes to Cabernets. When one has crossed a threshold of taste, as I did with the Don Melchior, is it still possible to be satisfied with anything else?

So, when I tasted this Leese-Fitch Cabernet I was delightfully surprised. It is a very tasty, inexpensive, everyday California Cabernet. (In the same category, I also recommend the following California Cabernets: Carnivor, Woodwork, and Bogle - which is consistently good vintage after vintage, whatever the varietal.) What the Leese-Fitch lacks in weight-body, it makes up for in flavor. It exhibits aromas and flavors of blackberry, dark cherry, black currant, mocha, and caramel; and, the tannins are soft and well-integrated..

Taste and see!

CHATEAU BONNET 2012 BORDEAUX, FRANCE

The Bordeaux area in south-western France produces, on the average, over 700 million bottles of wine annually - and that is only a section of France! However, France ranks second to Italy in total wine production; Spain, with the most acres devoted to grape vines, is third; the United States fourth; and, surprisingly, Argentina is fifth. 

If you watched the Downton Abbey series on PBS, Robert, the lord of the manor, at one point, asks for the Claret wine. Claret is the word the English used referring to the red wines of Bordeaux, located right across the English Channel from them. Coppola, in our Cabernet Sauvignon section, calls his wine CLARET.

Chateaux Bonnet is a typical Bordeaux wine, typically good, that is. Wine Enthusiast Magazine has rated it 94 points. A blend of 50% Merlot, 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, it is medium- to full bodied, dry, with aromas and flavors of red and black fruit, black currant, toasted oak, and a touch of vanilla.

I recommend at least a half-hour of aeration before drinking. Initially, open the bottle and pour yourself a small amount; the wine is tight, reluctant to yield flavor. After a half-hour - an hour would be even better - you will see how oxygen has expanded the flavor.

Taste and see!