A modest Bordeaux with friends in high places is this week’s #MerlotThursday pick. The wine is Château Chapelle d’Aliénor, which casually name-drops Château La Gaffelière on its crested label.
The producer is Domaines Comte de Malet Roquefort, whose holdings include La Gaffelière (a Premier Grand Cru Classé estate) and four other nearby vineyards. The Malet Roquefort family has a documented history of wine-growing in Saint-Émilion dating back to 1705–making them masters of Merlot if ever there were any.
In fact, my bottle was listed as “Château La Gaffelière” on a local menu at an improbably low price. So I ordered it, hoping for a fortunate error. The label was presented, and well…no such luck.
But I was happy with the decision to accept the bottle anyway. It’s a lively and well-made Bordeaux Supérieur with a lot more depth than most. (The vineyards of Château Chapelle d’Aliénor are located just outside the boundaries of the Saint-Émilion appellation.)
A rich and fruity nose of black and red plums, raspberry filling, cinnamon and cedar. Heat it with your hands and find a groundswell of warm aromas: Baking chocolate, licorice, and damp soil.
The flavors are thinner, but pleasant and persistent: Raspberry leaf tea, black tea, light cured tobacco and blackberry juice. This medium-bodied wine starts and ends on fruit: A tangy finish of pomegranate with brambly hairs clings to your mouth on the way down. Oak use is extremely restrained (just 20% of the wine was aged in barrel for 10 months).
When we sing the praises of approachable Merlot-based wine, the word “smooth” often comes up. But smoothness is not the defining characteristic of this great-value Right Bank Bordeaux. Instead, it’s fresh and juicy fruit flavor with a complex earthy edge. The wine is even better on the second day, when mellow flavors of cherry and plum develop and round out the leanness of the palate.
All wines taste better with a side of romance–and the Château Chapelle d’Aliénor estate is named for the Queen of the Court of Love herself, Eleanor of Aquitaine. Her reign is intertwined with the Bordeaux region and she was an early champion of its red wines. A chapel bearing her saint name overlooks the vineyards.
Structured yet easygoing, this wine would pair admirably with roasted meats and vegetables and any kind of cheesy or creamy side dishes. I took the bottle home and enjoyed it with a second round of turkey, green beans, and cranberry sauce. (Because having Thanksgiving dinner once a year is just not enough.) Drink the 2019 now or keep it a little longer (2-3 years).
Bottle: Château Chapelle d’Aliénor Bordeaux Supérieur (2019) – France
Variety: Merlot (80%), Cabernet Franc (20%)
ABV: 14%
Suggested retail: $19.99
My rating: 8.6 (out of 10)
Pour yourself a Merlot and join in! Or, 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.
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