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Château Lestrille-Capmartin
Bordeaux Supérieur Cuvée Tradition 2015 Another year has begun (Happy New Year, everyone!), and we're back at it, enthusiastically and helpfully highlighting some of the standout wines in our portfolio. Some of these wines may otherwise get overlooked, whether because they've been staples in the book for years or because they are from somewhat "un-sexy", non-trendy appellations. But we're here to remind you that they are still representative of what we hope we've become known for over the years: downright great value wines that remain true to their place of origin and the traditional winemaking techniques of that place. The Château Lestrille-Capmartin Bordeaux Supérieur Tradition 2015 is just such a wine.
One of our very first was Château Lestrille-Capmartin. This 96-hectare estate, which has been in the Roumage family since the end of the 19th century, is now owned and run by Estelle Roumage. The estate sits on the northern point of Entre-deux-Mers in the tiny town of Saint-Germain-du-Puch (a half hour south of Saint Emilion). The family--who all help out in the operation--farm using lutte raisonée, strongly believing that a healthy respect for the environment is not only crucial for long-term vineyard health but also produces the best wines.
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We all know about Bordeaux's historical prominence (some might even say dominance) in the wine world. However, the apparent quest in the past decade for ever more obscure appellations and more natural wines seems to have left the high-falutin, more commercial world of Bordeaux behind. And the always rising prices of the wines from some of the best châteaux certainly didn't help. But then came a backlash against the backlash, as demand rose for well-made value wines that taste more expensive than they are. Wine drinkers had forgotten to look to Bordeaux for these wines, but they soon remembered when they started noticing the $10-20 bottles of excellent, full-bodied red Bordeaux wines on the shelves. And so began the golden era for Bordeaux Supérieur, Côtes de Bourg, and their similarly priced brethren. Today, every importer has to have one, but we're proud to say we've ALWAYS had not just one but several in our book.
Estelle makes all the wines employing this same philosophy (with the occasional assistance of the renowned Michel Rolland), with a light touch, preferring to stay mainly out of the way and let the healthy grapes do their work.
The Bordeaux Supérieur Cuvée Tradition 2015 is a perfect embodiment of the amazing value this appellation can offer. It is 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, and after a long, temperature-controlled maceration, is fermented in tank and aged in oak barrels just long enough so as not to mask the lush Merlot fruit. The wine shows ripe fruit, extremely well-integrated oak and silky tannins that keep it nice and lively. With its creamy vanilla and spice added to the mix, we'll take this delicious mouthful of wine over a red from the Jura or Savoie any day--with our lamb chops or steak that is. |
And by the way, we still have some stock of the delicious 2012 vintage, for those who prefer their Bordeaux with a bit more age and mellowness on them.
