Merlot’s fortunes are so low that it’s possible to walk into an upscale wine shop and not see a single bottle with the “M-word” on the label. When you ask for help finding a nice Merlot, they will look at you with either pity (as if you have no wine knowledge) or suspicion (as if you might actually be trolling them).
I know all this because it happened to me on this week’s quest for a #MerlotThursday wine–and it wasn’t the first time, either.
Once again, it was Bordeaux to the rescue. Merlot often hides in plain sight–on slim-shouldered bottles decorated with manor houses.
Though Bordeaux bottles rarely list the variety (those stubborn French labeling habits), wines from the Right Bank and wines called simply “Bordeaux” or “Bordeaux Supérieur” are almost always Merlot-dominant. So are many second wines from Left Bank estates–like this “Madame de Beaucaillou” that I snagged for my weekly Merlot tasting.
It pours into the glass like a red satin ribbon–that dense, silky Bordeaux red that has your mouth watering before you even get a sniff. Florals, fruit, earth, wood, and spice are all chiming in from the depths of this “more-is-more” wine.
The nose is pronounced and fruity, with red cherry, red plum, pomegranate, and unripe blackberry. Fruit yields to cloves and cedar, smoothed over with creamy natural vanilla and violet. There’s a touch of new leather, graphite, and a spicy-green note of cut flower stems and fresh cardamom.
On the palate, it’s slightly darker and meatier than the nose would suggest, with ripe pomegranate, blackberry, and pemmican. Clean minerality and a lingering fragrance of dried herbs: Mint, savoury, and marjoram.
Underneath the fruit, the firmness of the wine reveals itself. Noticeable alcohol heat, with drying, prickly tannins–some of them barky. It benefits from a 30-45 minute decant. Oxygen unlocks black plums, dark brewed soy sauce, and Brazil nuts with skins–while still preserving the wine’s charming floral lift.
“Madame de Beaucaillou” is produced by the Borie family, owners of the Second Growth estate Château Ducru-Beaucaillou since 1941. The vineyards, which are located outside of the Saint-Julien appellation, include properties owned by Madame Eugène-Borie and brought to the family in marriage. The inaugural label of “Madame de Beaucaillou” was in 2018. The wine is conceived as a tribute to Madame Eugène-Borie, and the women throughout history who have guided winemaking at Ducru-Beaucaillou.
Always a fan of a Bordeaux bargain, I thought this wine was a great buy at $28. Or, as Bruno Borie, the head of Château Ducru-Beaucaillou, describes it, “A reasonable price for an ambitious wine.” A blend of 68% Merlot, 17% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Petit Verdot, and 2% Cabernet Franc. Aged for 12 months in French oak barrels (20% new, the rest in one-year-old barrels).
Château Ducru-Beaucaillou, I recently learned, is famous for its Victorian-era kitchen. The enormous space is built directly over the cellars and furnished with an elaborate rotisserie and heirloom cookware. It has been the center of the estate and its French-country banquets for centuries.
My own kitchen is stocked not with a “constellation of copper,” but banged-up sheet pans and a noisy electric oven. Even so, Beaucaillou lent its gourmand mojo to a humble meal. It was divine with hand-tossed pepperoni and basil pizza, and a kale Caesar with tomatoes and curried tofu croutons.
Bottle: “Madame de Beaucaillou” Haut-Médoc (2019) – Bordeaux, France
Variety: 68% Merlot, 17% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Petit Verdot, and 2% Cabernet Franc
ABV: 13.92%
Suggested retail: $29.99
My rating: 9.1 (out of 10)
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.
On Thursdays, we Merlot! You can view archived #MerlotThursday reviews here.
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