Alexander is a writer and a wine drinker; he is using the former occupation to increase his appreciation of the latter.
Read more about Alexander Velky and see other articles by this author.
Being Francophobic in all but seriousness, I wouldn’t know a Bordeaux from a claret; thus it gives me great pleasure to try a Bordeaux (the first I’ve tried since I began reading the labels) made by an English family who reside in that prestigious land; that cradle of viticulture; that Elysium of grape-growing; that…
Anyway, the wine: Alan and Sue Johnson-Hill produce their Bordeaux Supérieur in the splendid surrounds of Château Méaume (beautifully rendered on the rustic tri-tone label).
In Bordeaux AOC-speak ‘Supérieur’ apparently means the vines are older than your average: it smells that way too; the aroma is wonderfully earthy on the moment of uncorking – sort of dusty and musty like the invisible living things in a listed building – but after being left to breathe for a minute it actually reminds one (and one’s drinking companions, who spotted it first) of the seaweed smell of a summer beach.
I suppose that’s the terroir at work – Château Méaume can’t be more than 50 miles from the Bay of Biscay.
It tastes neither salty nor seaweedy, you’ll be relieved to hear; it boasts a full and plummy fruit flavour with great depth, leaving a lasting and satisfying impression on the tongue. It’s an altogether fulfilling drink and a well-rounded red that’ll do nicely for most, and impress many. The bottle was emptied all too quickly, in fact.
Apparently the balance is 80% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, which makes it a combination of three grapes I’m out of touch with: the first perhaps even more than the latter two. I used to drink a lot of Merlot simply because there’s a lot of it about, but since I started developing a real interest I’ve been habitually seeking out Pinot Noirs and Shiraz-Grenaches, for no apparent reason. So it was a welcome return for a grape I’ve all but forgotten, and a convincing introduction – for me – to the charms of Bordeaux, or ‘Claret‘ as I gather it was once called by the English, of which I am one.
The Château Méaume folk espouse an approach of “traditional husbandry” coupled with “modern vinification”, and you can investigate their website for more details of what that involves, but I recommend you investigate the results in their Bordeaux Supérieur for a more sensory appreciation of said methods.
My fair lady was so taken with this wine she wants to bulk-buy it and foist it on guests at our wedding next year, and I might be convinced, but I must stress that this wine would be an ideal accompaniment to any number of celebratory gatherings: christenings, funerals, birthdays… you name it.
Available from Majestic for £8.99 a bottle, or less if you order two, which I would if I were you.
Photograph by Karen Narkiewicz.
