Germain-Saincrit Vignerons
Grand vin de Bordeaux
Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon
BordeauxBerson, Gironde, France2005
13%
$8.69 -- COSTCO, Austin, TX
Color: Medium strawberry
Nose: Blackberries, saddle leather
Body: Medium
Front: Sour berries
Middle: Soft tannins, wood
Back: Cigar wrapper
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork
This will be the first of several Bordeaux experiments in the coming months. I've had a couple of them that I liked, but they were all kind of old. Rumor has it the 2005 vintage is so awesome that even the cheapest bottles aren't bad. That would seem to be true in the case of this wine.
Still, it's not for the white zinfandel lover, and it's not for dinner -- it won't stand up to much intensity in food, but it's good with light antipasti. It's brighter fruit at the start than some Bordeaux I've had, even the Merlot-heavy ones of the Right Bank. But it's not super complex overall, or rich. I tried it decanted for an hour, and then the next day as well, and it seemed to peak early. It has that lovely sour berry flavor that I like in so many French wines, and like so many such wines, it goes well with almost any musical accompaniment.
