About a month ago, we visited with Jean-Christophe Calvet of Aquitaine, a negociant representing some of the young up-and-comers from France’s famous Bordeaux wine region.  The wines we tasted were delicious and they’ve slowly made their way onto our shelves.  Along with another recent favorite, we decided it was high time we did a tasting of Bordeaux reds in that hard-to-find middle price category.  Sure, we can always find something tasty, if a bit simple, in the $10-12 range, and the over $50 category is crowded with 2nd and 3rd Growths, but we often struggle to find the good deal in terms of quality vs. price in that middle ground.  Well, not anymore.  Come and taste these delicious wines tonight.

Because the staff is so excited about these wines, I couldn’t get away with just opening the bottles at one store, so you get to choose which cork location you want to go to for this tasting, as both the NE Alberta and NW Lovejoy shops will be pouring starting at 5pm tonight!

Here’s the lineup with regular prices.  Tasters tonight will get 10% off any of these wines and if you buy a case or more, we’ll even waive 1 tasting fee!

2004 FLEUR HAUT-GAUSSENS Bordeaux Superior (Reg. $19)
Dense and chewy, ready for matching with big bold flavors from the grill.  The ‘superior’ designation means the wine must meet a higher ripeness level (higher resulting alcohol) and be aged longer before release, but otherwise this can be a blend of grapes from anywhere in the zone.  In this case, it’s 90% Merlot with 5% Cab Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, grown in the Fronsac region of Bordeaux.  A third generation producer using organic methods and aging in 100% new oak barrels.  The resulting wine is massively structured for a wine in this price range, but the softer 2004 vintage makes this approachable now.

2004 CHATEAU ROZIER St. Emilion Grand Cru (Reg. $30)
Those seeking more refinement and elegance will love this St. Emilion.  From 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 5% old-vine Cabernet Sauvignon, the limestone and clay soil impart a combination of richness and minerality to this wine.  The aromatics are quite unusual, with a heady dose of sage and other herbs mixed with dried plum and prune character.

2005 CH. SAINT ANDRE CORBIN St. Georges-St. Emilion (Reg. $22)
Here’s what everyone is always looking for and it is not always to be found.  A potentially great wine from a great vintage that will cellar well over the next decade and costs around $20.  Voila!  The Saby brothers, who own and operate this estate in Bordeaux’s smallest appellation, simply bowled me over with the power and finesse of this wine.  75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc go into the blend.  12 months of barrel aging in French oak, 1/3 of which are new, this unfined and unfiltered bottling is simply dynamite.  Come see for yourself.

2003 CHATEAU HAUT-COLOMBIER Blye (Reg. $24.25)
For those wanting the big muscular wine without having to wait for it in your cellar, this 90% Merlot and 10% Malbec blend will fit the bill nicely. It is bold, forward and rewarding now, showing dark berry fruit, black pepper and a richness that is ready to go head-to-head with your biggest and best barbeque sauce.

2005 LE HAUT MEDOC DE BRANAIRE-DUCRU Haut-Medoc (Reg. $36.75)
With four choices from the Right Bank, we had to throw in something from the Left, and this Cabernet-based blend from Branaire-Ducru is destined to be a classic.  From the stunning 2005 vintage, you get a dark, smoky and structured red with that leathery quality that can be so inviting. It’s brooding with blackberry fruit, chocolate and toffee flavors.