“If you like big, chewy reds, this is a QPR superstar…”

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(Note: Bastardo’s Best Buys was a recurring feature on the old Gang of Pour site. Bastardo is a red wine grape grown in various parts of Europe. Bastardo is also my Gang nickname that I continue to go by.)

I picked this up for my wife Kim a few days ago our friendly neighborhood Costco. We’ve been fans of Bertrand’s wines since 2005, so this was an easy choice, and after tasting it, I went back for more the very next day. Frankly, I suspect that it might not be around for long at this price, given the quality.

2018 Gérard Bertrand Saint-Chinian An 1877, 60% Syrah, 40% Mourvedre, 14% alc., $9.99: Deep and dark in color, and likewise dark in flavor and aroma. Earthy, tarry and peppery, with a solid core of leathery black fruit lurking beneath it all. Full bodied and well-structured, this is one chewy wine, to be sure. I wasn’t inclined to even review it after the first few sips, because of the tannic, acidic bite, but Kim likes it and suggested letting it get some air. Sure enough, it comes around nicely with about half an hour in the glass, and continues to do so as long as there is some left. 

I think this one’s best days are still to come, with at least a year or two of improvement ahead of it. But you can drink it now with the aforementioned air. If you like big, chewy reds, this is a QPR (quality-price-ratio) superstar at this price. Enjoy it now with grilled red meats or cellar it short-term to see how it evolves. Find this wine

“1877 pays homage to modern times, the steam engine revolution and the first railroad line from Saint Chinian that allowed the region’s wines to be transported to the capitals.

The grapes are harvested mostly by hand. A double sorting system is carried out in the vineyard and in the cellar. The vinification is traditional, and the grapes are therefore destemmed before the maceration phase, which lasts between 3 and 4 weeks. The grapes are then pressed before the malolactic fermentation. One third of the wine is aged for 9 months in barrels, the rest being kept in vats.”
Imported by Gérard Bertrand USA, Sausalito, CA

Reporting from Day-twah,
Bastardo

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