The Wine Fairy

For this #MerlotThursday, I hopped the (metaphorical) pond back over to France for a Bordeaux break. The venue is Winestein’s Tasting Room in Grapevine, where I’ve landed after a long and exciting afternoon of trying out Texans wines.

The wine is Château Gaby “Silver Label.” (It’s the second wine from the Château. The “Gold Label” is their main wine and “Princess Gaby” is their third.) The estate, which dates back to 1669, is located on a limestone hill in Canon-Fronsac about 8 miles downriver from Saint-Émilion. The cuvée of the day is Merlot-heavy at 80%, with Cab Sauv and Cab Franc each pitching in at 10%.

This is Merlot’s original ‘hood, and where it still feels most comfortably at home. The most acclaimed and most expensive Merlots in the world come from nearby Pomerol–and while we won’t be opening any Pomerol today, there are plenty of opulent, occasion-worthy wines to be found all over the Right Bank.

In the glass in front of me is a pretty big red wine–meaning it’s pretty and it’s big. Blood-red, almost garnet throughout with an intensely saturated hue (except for the rim which is slightly fading or separating in color). Aromas of stewed raspberry, crushed rose potpourri, blackberry leaf tea, caramel, milk chocolate, malted milk and toast. They sit thickly in the glass at first, then rise up with gusto, like the smell of a berry tart bubbling over in the oven.

In the glass is a little grainy sediment, and flavors that are more restrained than its luscious nose would suggest. Flavors of raspberry, spiced black tea, and coffee milk. Medium-plus body and medium-plus gentle tannins, with the acidity somewhere around medium. If you keep your mitts off the glass for a while (it’s not easy), it opens up to a rich smashed-blackberry flavor with a tart, balsamic edge.

The house style of Château Gaby is ripe and round and also quite liberally oaked. Even this second wine spent 24 months in barrel (50% new). But it doesn’t feel overly heavy to me, as New World Bordeaux blends made in this way sometimes can. And the winemaker reportedly plays music for his Merlot vines every day to help coordinate flowering or something–which is a sweet and romantic thing to do.

I like this wine a lot! I’m becoming obsessed with the Right Bank combo of indulgent, pastry-shop aromas and dry, elegant sips.

I sipped my Château Gaby alongside the 2020 Franc Parabet Saint-Émilion (which I first tasted for a review several weeks ago) and the 2020 “La Closerie des Eyrins” Margaux. (That one is loaded with wild berries and new cedar and cinnamon, delish! And at 60% Merlot, it might even qualify for a future #MerlotThursday by the majority rule…I’ll petition the refs.)

I picked this bottle for today’s review mostly because of the vintage. I’ve been lucky enough to drink a few Merlot-dominant Bordeaux wines from 2014 and 2015 lately. At the 10-year mark, they are hitting just right–still brimming with fresh fruit but also showing mellow chocolate-coffee flavors and some graceful signs of age.

With its evolving fruit, soft texture, and well-integrated new oak, this Canon-Fronsac charmer acts a little older and wiser than some of its 2014 siblings. I don’t have the experience to know how much longer it ought to be held for, but it’s really delicious right now.

Bottle: Château Gaby “Silver Label” Canon-Fronsac (2014)

Variety: Merlot (80%), Cabernet Sauvignon (10%), Cabernet Franc (10%)

ABV: 14.2%

Suggested retail: $44.95

My rating: 9.1 (out of 10)

Further reading:

Forbes: Both Music And Early Picking Influence French Wines From Château Gaby (Soft paywall)

On Thursdays, we Merlot. See past #MerlotThursday reviews here.

Review disclosure: I was not compensated or provided any free products for this review. Opinions expressed on The Wine Fairy blog are entirely my own.