Particularly with the shortage of crop in many parts of Europe, wine prices are rising quite rapidly. Some of the best values for your money in France remain in the Southwest.
Château BELLEVUE LA FORÊT/Philip GRANT
2013 Fronton
From the local grape, Negrette, plus Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Syrah, this wine still has some tannin to underlie its somewhat wild dark plum fruit. Medium-weight with good acidic support. Drink now, but aging potential of at least 5-10 years. 13% stated alcohol. 87/B+
2014 Fronton
This 2014 is perhaps a bit more tannic and leaner than the 2013, but it is attractive for the dark plum fruit. One can drink it now but with 5-15 years' aging potential. 12.5% stated alcohol. 86/B
Philippe et Diane CAUVIN/La COLOMBIÈRE
2015 Fronton
The estate is biodynamic. This wine is 100% Negrette, the indigenous grape of the region. The nose shows earthy and violet aromas. The mouth is light in weight with violets and red fruits, good acidity, and a little tannin. For food now, it’s a very good wine, and the website says 4-5 years aging capacity. 12.5% stated alcohol. 89/A
CLOS LA COUTALE/Philippe BERNÈDE
2014 Cahors
A few years ago, I served a bottle of Clos la Coutale to a friend who said he did not like Malbec (I think his knowledge was primarily from New World countries, notwithstanding the fact that he was born and grew up in France). He was astonished by the wine and began to rethink his views. This wine is medium-weight with salty dark fruits and a round texture. It’s hard to come up with a better value for drinking now and over the next 4-5(+) years. 85% Malbec, 15% Merlot. Lot L 1. 12.5% stated alcohol. 90/A
2015 Cahors
This wine is similar to the 2014 reviewed above, but it has a bit more weight and richness and perhaps a little longer aging capacity. 85% Malbec, 15% Merlot. Lot L 1. 13% stated alcohol. 90/A
Élian DA ROS
Côtes-du-Marmandais is an appellation along the Gironde River, southeast of the Sauternes region and outside the Gironde department. In France, it’s best known for its tomatoes (and other products, such as grains, are also grown in the region); until recently, two cooperatives made virtually all the wine from the appellation. Da Ros worked five years at Domaine Zind-Humbrecht in Alsace, and in 1998 returned to take over the wine production on his father’s estate. Since the early 2000s, the estate has been both organic and biodynamic.
Rather than complain without effect about how great wines that were once cheap have gotten expensive, the thing to do is to seek out producers who are remaking less fashionable appellations that are still inexpensive, and Da Ros for Côtes-du-Marmandais certainly is one of those that you should be looking at.
2015 Côtes-du-Marmandais Le Vin Est Une Fête
This wine is made up 40% of Cabernet Franc, 20% of Merlot, both destemmed, and 40% of Abouriou, a grape found primarily in the Southwest of France, that here was not destemmed and was fermented by carbonic maceration. The resulting wine has a smooth, dense texture with dark plum fruits and a hint of bitterness. The tannins are round enough to permit current drinking but also sufficiently present for further aging. There is a similarity to claret here, yet also an originality due to the spiciness and bitterness. I do not have experience aging this wine, but I would guess it should age well for 5-10 years, perhaps longer. Lot VF 15. 12.5% stated alcohol. 89/A
2016 Côtes-du-Marmandais Le Vin Est Une Fête
The 2016 version of this wine is equally as delicious as the 2015. It features a silky body and spiced dark plum fruit and very good concentration. Same grape composition as the 2015. Lot VF 16.12.5% stated alcohol. 89/A
2014 Côtes-du-Marmandais Le Vignoble d’Élian
Here the wine is 50% Cabernet Franc, 30% Merlot, and 20% Syrah. The wine has dark fruit and some minerality as well as tannin on the finish. Here, I think a few to several years in the cellar will be beneficial, allowing the flavors to meld. Lot LVE14. 13% stated alcohol. 87/A-
2015 Côtes-du-Marmandais Le Vignoble d’Élian
Same grape percentages as the 2014 above. This wine is silky in texture and medium-light in weight. There’s some minerality here to go with the earthy plum fruit. The wine can be drunk now but probably is best left in the cellar for 3-5 years. Lot LVE15. 13% stated alcohol. 88(+)/A
Château La GRAVE/V. BERNÈDE et Fils
2014 Cahors
This wine is entirely from Malbec, or Cot as it is known locally. It is medium-weight, light on the palate, and easy to approach with red fruits and a bit of lavender. I’d drink over the next 8-10 years. 13.5% stated alcohol. 87/B+