Texan Magazine
Joyeux Noël!
By Jim Peterson
Wine Enthusiast & Instagram Wine Influencer
France’s Bordeaux wine region is by far the world’s largest producer of fine wines. At the top level in Bordeaux, wines classified as Grand Cru Classé, are undeniably some of the best wines in the world and are a part of this elite group. What’s so astonishing is that it has been this way for a few hundred years. Thomas Jefferson visited Bordeaux in 1787, annotating his favorite wines in his journal. He mentioned Château Margaux and Château Haut Brion, and they are still two of the best wines in Bordeaux today.
How do you know which Bordeaux are the best? At first glance, you would think they made it easy for you with the classified growth system. Starting with the best in quality, they identified First, Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth Growth wines. There are only five First Growth estates (the best), 14 Second Growth, 14 Third Growth, 10 Fourth Growth, and 18 Fifth Growth. With only 61 estates chosen out of about 600 total in the Médoc, to make the list is impressive. The problem? With minor exceptions, that ranking hasn’t changed since 1855. Plus, that ranking did not include the key appellations of Pomerol, Saint Émilion, and Graves.
A lot can change in 175 years, but one fact remains:
Savvy collectors will not tolerate an overpriced wine, so market prices are still a helpful guide to quality.
I love Bordeaux. I collect Bordeaux. I have wanted to visit for years. The estates I visited hold great memories for me – special tastings, celebrations, and unique dinners. My trip to Bordeaux only heightened those memories.
Join me as I toured, tasted, and experienced the rich history that makes Bordeaux wine so special. With the holidays approaching, learning about some of my favorites below can help make choosing a gift for the wine lover in your life a little easier.
CHÂTEAU LA MISSION HAUT BRION, GRAVES
La Mission Haut Brion is across the street from Château Haut Brion, and both Château have the same owner. La Mission, as the name suggests, was a Catholic Mission at one point. As with many other sites in France, tending vineyards and making wine was a key part of the priestly vocation. Given the proximity to Haut Brion, and since the winemaking process is the same for both estates, you would think the two wines would be almost identical. In fact, they are quite different.
In the wine collecting world there is a sort of longstanding “argument” over which of these two wines is the best. La Mission wines are so good that many consider it an unofficial First Growth. I was lucky to try the 2017 vintage of both wines side by side to compare. They were both magnificent, so please don’t ask me to choose! These are bucket list wines for many wine lovers, and it’s easy to see why.
CHÂTEAU CARBONNIEUX, PESSAC-LÉOGNAN
On that same trip to Bordeaux in 1787, Thomas Jefferson also visited Château Carbonnieux. Why? They were well known for their white Bordeaux wine, and he wanted to taste the best. The name originates from a family named “Carbonius” who cleared and cultivated the land near the village of Léognan in the 1200s. Benedictine monks tended the property (as Jefferson noted in his journal entry), but the church influence was permanently lost in 1791 after the French Revolution. More recently, the estate was bought by the Perrin family in 1956, and some of the family still live in the Château.
My own history with Château Carbonnieux started when I tasted the 1995 vintage. It has been my go-to white Bordeaux ever since. Their classic blend is 60% Sauvignon Blanc and 40% Semillon. I occasionally revisit older vintages from my cellar because these white wines age well. I enjoyed retasting the 2017 and getting a first taste of the 2022 (just now being released in America). My insider tip: The 2022 is a stellar vintage for the Carbonnieux Blanc, so make sure it’s on your list to try.
CHÂTEAU ANGELUS, SAINT ÉMILION
I spent one day in the region of Saint Émilion. If you are Catholic, you may be familiar with the Angelus prayer. Historically, it was recited at 6 AM, noon, and 6 PM. Many churches would ring bells to announce the prayer, and the Saint Émilion bells produced a resounding echo in the nearby amphitheater-shaped vineyard at Château Angelus. The Château name and the iconic bell on the label were born from this.
Famille de Boüard de Laforest has owned the property since 1872. In 2012, the 8th generation leader, Stephanie de Boüard-Rivoal, took over from her father. I tasted the 2016 vintage, the first to express Stephanie’s approach for Angelus. It is a blockbuster. The Angelus wines are typically made from 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc. They are age worthy. You can also look for their second wine, Carillon d’Angelus. Simply put, Angelus is a premium Bordeaux.
CHÂTEAU FIGEAC, SAINT ÉMILION
The second Saint Émilion winery I visited was Château Figeac. Over the years I have been lucky to try the 1970, 1982, 1986, 1988, and 1989 vintages of Figeac. The Manoncourt family has owned this property for nearly 130 years. The recently refurbished winemaking facility has an amazing array of vats for precision vinification of the best plots. The final blend is still a decision made by the Manoncourt family after several weeks of deliberation “…drawing on our detailed knowledge of the terroir and the history of previous vintages and guided by our immense respect for the Figeac style and its consistency over time.”
Knowing I had tasted so many older vintages, I was served the classic 2009 Figeac. At 15 years old, this wine was stunning. For Figeac, the typical blend is equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc. Like many young Figeac, it’s beautiful now but will still be great in 15-30 years.
CHÂTEAU BRANE-CANTENAC, MARGAUX
Brane-Cantenac was my first visit in the Médoc part of Bordeaux. While it was a Second Growth in the 1855 classification, its reputation lapsed in the early 1900s. The Lurton family restored it after they purchased the property in 1922. Now led by Henri Lurton, Brane-Cantenac is making some of its best wines ever. It was quite special to be led around the winemaking operation by Henri as he discussed his philosophy and showed me their modernization efforts.
We tasted four wines, including their Blanc (almost never seen in the US due to its scarcity). Their new entry level wine, Margaux de Brane, is a terrific wine for Bordeaux beginners. Tasting the 2016 vintage of their second wine, Baron de Brane, alongside the 2016 grand vin, intrigued me greatly. I have long desired to do the same with the 2000 vintage in my cellar. Brane-Cantenac is a solid value and ages beautifully. While Henri said the 2016 we tasted was the best they had ever made, he thinks the 2022 may be better. Collectors take note!
CHÂTEAU CALON SÉGUR, SAINT ÉSTEPHE
The 1996 Calon Ségur was the first wine I ever collected, so I knew in my heart I had to make a visit. The heart! Calon Ségur, a Third Growth, is most recognizable for its iconic heart shape on the label. It was inspired by a quote from the Marquis de Ségur, called “Prince of Vines” because he owned several renowned Bordeaux properties. He famously said, “I make wine at Lafite and Latour, but my heart is in Calon.”
Here we tasted a horizontal of 2015 wines, including the grand vin Calon Ségur, the Le Marquis de Calon Ségur (second wine), and another St. Éstephe wine, Château Capbern, a smaller estate also owned by the same company. Some of my favorite wine memories involve tasting multiple vintages of Calon Ségur like the 1982, 1989, 1990, 1996, and 2000. No doubt there will be more great memories as I continue to pull bottles from my cellar.
CHÂTEAU LAGRANGE, SAINT JULIEN
Instagram can create some unique “wine friendships.” When I posted about tasting older Lagrange, it resulted in exchanges with the winery. Little did I know that it was the head winemaker, Matthieu Bordes, responding to me! He personally invited me to visit Château Lagrange. As we toured, he aptly demonstrated his precision methods and decision-making process to make the best wine possible.
When I arrived in the tasting room, Matthieu opened the wine cellar and asked, “So which vintages would you like to taste?” We ended up with the 2004, 2010, and 2016 Lagrange. He also added the outstanding 2009 Les Fiefs de Lagrange (second wine). The 2010 and 2016 Lagrange are amazing wines. Luckily, I have a few! Under Matthieu’s exacting leadership, I’m not sure you will find a better value collectible Third Growth Bordeaux than Château Lagrange.
CHÂTEAU DUCRU-BEAUCAILLOU, SAINT JULIEN
I have tasted a lot of the Ducru wines, including the legendary 1961. The noted British wine expert, Clive Coates, called Ducru-Beaucaillou “the quintessential claret.” The Château is named after Bertrand Ducru, the owner after the French Revolution. For a while it was “Maucaillou” because the caillou (stones) were mauvais (bad). The stony ground was hard to cultivate, but it was suited for grape vines. When the wine turned out so well, it was changed to “Beaucaillou” meaning fine or beautiful stones. By the time of the 1855 classification, the reputation of Ducru-Beaucaillou earned it a Second Growth rating.
The Borie family purchased the estate in 1941, and Bruno-Eugéne Borie now leads it. The wine lineup has changed the past few years. An entry level wine, Madame de Beaucaillou, was added to honor Bruno’s mother. What used to be “Château Lalande-Borie” wine, another Borie property, was changed to Le Petit Ducru. I tasted the 2020 vintages of those two wines, along with the 2017 La Croix Ducru-Beaucaillou (the second wine), and the 2017 and 2006 Ducru-Beaucaillou. The 2017 stole the show, but I greatly enjoyed them all.
BORDEAUX RECOMMENDATIONS & ADVICE
If you are new to wine collecting, or you are looking to add some Bordeaux to your collection, my Bordeaux rule is simple. Stick to the classified growths from the main appellations of Margaux, Pauillac, Saint Julien, Saint Éstephe, and Saint Émilion. Pomerol does not classify their wines, but many are exceptional. Some Bordeaux is exorbitantly priced, but there are good values to be found in the Third, Fourth, and Fifth Growth categories.
The 2020 and 2022 vintages are stellar. Some Bordeaux favorites under $100 in my collection include: Château Prieure-Lichine, Château d’Armailhac, Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste, Château Lafon-Rochet, and Château La Lagune.
Acknowledgments: I offer profound gratitude to all the estates for their overwhelming hospitality. I owe special thanks to Daria Kossowska and Misa Imports for arranging my visits to Angelus, Figeac, and Ducru Beaucaillou. I am truly blessed.
Biography:
Jim Peterson is a retired U.S. Air Force officer who mainly flew the A-10 fighter jet. He has ties to the wine business going back over 25 years, has visited many wine regions, tasted the world’s top wines, and is an avid wine collector. His new business, The Texas Wine Pilot, offers customized in-home wine tastings and wine collecting consultations in the San Antonio and South Texas area. Visit txwinepilot.com or email him at jim@txwinepilot.com to book your tasting or consult. He has also cultivated a large following on his Instagram account, @tx_wine_pilot.
