Bargain Bordeaux

“…I can’t think of a better red for under $13 currently available in these parts.”

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This wine takes me back to the days when we were finding good Bordeaux for around $12 or $13 a bottle on a regular basis. Sort of…

Back in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, we were finding, buying and drinking (often too young) the likes for Château Gloria and Château Beychevelle, and we were paying around the same price that I’m getting this one for. Of course, Gloria and Beychevelle are Left Bank wines, which are generally Cabernet Sauvignon dominant, and much more prestigious properties than Chateau Teyssier Montagne-Saint-Émilion, a Merlot based red from the Right Bank. Still, it’s hard to mistake any of these for anything other than Bordeaux, where red wine is made like nowhere else in the world. Continue reading

A Country Bordeaux

“A little more exuberant and less “refined” than most
Bordeaux that I’ve run into over the years…”

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It seems that I have found a kindred spirit in Steve, the wine guy at Westborn Market. I stopped in there a couple of days ago to find out if there were any plans to bring in more of the wines from Mary Taylor that I’ve so been enjoying lately, and not only did he assure me that, yes, he would be stocking more of them, but he also mentioned how much he really likes them too.

I’ve been getting my 2020 Mary Taylor Wines Christophe Avi Agenais Rosé, 2021 Mary Taylor Wines Olivier Gessler Côtes de Gascogne and 2020 Mary Taylor Wines Jean Marc Barthez Bordeaux Blanc at Westborn, but had totally whiffed on this one, because it sits right next to the Bordeaux Blanc and the labels are identical. Steve pointed it out, much to my delight, and I immediately brought one home with me to see what’s in the bottle. (It’s made by the same vigneron who is responsible for MT’s Bordeaux Blanc.) Here’s what I found.
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Bargain Saint-Emilion

“…a nice glass of claret that’s already drinking well in its relative youth…”

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I’m always ready to drink good Bordeaux that’s anywhere near a decent drinking window, be it Left Bank or Right. That’s not always an easy bottle to buy off the shelf these days, especially if you have QPR in mind. I happened upon this little number in the Madison Heights Costco last week, and wondered, “How bad can it be at this price?” Turns out, it’s not only good, it’s much more approachable than I might have expected.
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