Each year, the biggest release at BC Liquor stores is the release of the new Bordeaux vintage.
Please remember that with Bordeaux wines, they are relatively expensive wines and made for long term aging. So if you are looking for a bottle to drink right away, you shouldn’t buy this current release of Bordeaux wines. Rathert try some older vintages offered at the liquor stores. The liquor stores will be releasing wines today, Sept. 26, from the 2017 vintage. The 2017 Bordeaux vintage is considered a drinker’s vintage, which means some of these wines will be approachable in the next five years. For the highest end and highest rated wines, you will need to wait for a minimum of 10 to 15 years before the wine is drinkable. So if you are buying 2017 Bordeaux wines, you are really buying them for a special occasion or you are prepared to wait a minimum of five years to drink the wine. But your patience will be rewarded as few wines in the world evolve as magnificently as Bordeaux wines.
In previous years, people would line up overnight for an opportunity to purchase some select wines. This year, the liquor stores have gone to an online reservation system. But this is only for wines that are in short supply. The other wines will be placed on the floor today so here is my guide to what you should buy:
Clos Floridene 2017 ($40) – produces one of the best value red wines in Bordeaux. Their wines are consistently of very good quality. This wine is a blend of 72-per-cent Cabernet Sauvignon and 28-per-cent Merlot. One of the few wines offered that is drinkable now although it will improve with two to three years of aging. Black fruit and oak underneath bold tannins.
Chateau Puy-Blanquet ($45) – from the St. Emilion region, located on the Right Bank. The Right Bank produced slightly better wines in 2017 than the Left Bank and in general, it is harder to find good quality, value Right Bank wines. This wine is a blend of 75-per-cent Merlot, 15-per-cent Cabernet Franc and 10-per-cent Cabernet Sauvignon so this wine is approachable earlier than predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon based Bordeaux wines. You can try it now but it needs at least two hours of aeration or three to five years of aging to hit its stride. You are going to get some earthiness along with firm tannins and black fruit
Chateau Reynon Blanc ($35) – the best value white Bordeaux wine offered. This wine is a blend of about 87-per-cent Sauvignon Blanc and 13-per-cent Semillon grapes. Unlike red Bordeaux wines, Bordeaux white wines can be drunk right away, although they can be stored for a few years and will improve with a little bit of aging. Good acidity with lemons, citrus and some vegetal elements.
Chateau Doisy-Vedrines ($50 for 375 ml) – if I were to buy one wine to try, it would be a Sauternes. Sauternes are expensive but no other region in the world can produce this type of sweet wine. Sauternes also age gracefully and it is amazing to see the color of the wine change from a very pale yellow color to a dark, almost golden orange and brown color. This producer always makes quality Sauternes and it will give you drinking pleasure for 20 plus years. Think honey, caramel and rose petals.
Join me on my Instagram account tonight at 5 p.m. for a more extensive tasting of wines from the 2017 vintage that I was able to purchase today. Until next time, happy drinking!
Tony Kwan is the Richmond News' new columnist. Lawyer by day, food and wine lover by night, Kwan is an epicurean who writes about wine, food and enjoying all that life has to offer.
