I had Bordeaux on the mind again this week, my friends. It’s the weather, I tell you! It’s only just starting to improve a bit in Toronto but there’s still ample snow on the ground, a nippy wind in the air and a cold draft in my home office that’s got me craving dense, warming wines. And for my sensibilities, Bordeaux wines can always be counted on to take the internal body temperature up a notch or two on a cool evening. Such is their power and brooding earthy character.

So, I certainly went to the store yesterday with a region in mind. The wine however, as always, was not pre-determined. I picked very randomly…and as they say, you win some and you lose some whenever you take a chance. However, this is a risk I’m willing to take in order to be able to share a new wine with the Wineitupanotch community! :)

(By the way, if you are new to this blog and want to know more about my weekly Wine Wednesday feature, be sure to read this blog post where I outline my approach to my weekly Wine Wednesday picks.)

Now I’d be remiss to not point out that I’m located in Ontario, Canada and I therefore buy my wines for the Wine of the Week feature from the LCBO (Liquor Control Board of Ontario).  However, the wines I pick are generally widely available in most major markets (such is the nature of the stock at the LCBO!) and online too, so if you like what you read but are not in Ontario, you should be able to find the wine that is featured wherever you like to shop. 

For the convenience of readers who are located in Ontario, I always provide the LCBO Product Number, and a direct link to the LCBO website, in my reviews. So go ahead and shop away, fellow Ontario dwellers! :)

And just a quick reminder that I did not get paid to pick, drink or endorse the wine I’ve selected below. So you can safely trust my notes are my own.

And with that, let’s get into this week’s pick!

2016 Chateau des Landes Prestige Cuvée

The store was choc-a-block full of options this week when it came to red Bordeaux and most were very reasonably priced. I landed on this one because I liked that it was from the Right Bank (Bordeaux) and is Merlot-dominant. Read on to learn what you need to know about this wine.

What does this wine cost?

$26.95

Where does this wine come from?

This wine comes from one of the “satellites” of the very famous Saint Émilion appellation, namely Lussac-Saint-Émilion. Lussac-Saint-Émilion is an AOC in its own right and is located about 9 kilometres away from Saint-Émilion. The landscape here is characterized by diverse soils and high hills. The wine estates here tend to be small and family owned. The grape varieties permitted to be grown here are Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec and the first two tend to dominate the blends made here. Carmenere and Petit Verdot may also be used in very small quantities. Our Wine of the Week is made using 100% Merlot.

Who makes this wine?

This wine is produced by Vignobles Lassagne which owns several chateaux including Chateau des Landes in Lussac-Saint-Émilion, which is their original property. This family owned estate, which is now run by third generation owners, has 32 hectares under vines with some vines being more than 50 years old. For those that are interested, click here to learn more about Vignobles Lassangne and Chateau des Landes.

A few Wine Geek “essential facts” about the wine (feel free to skip this if you don’t care about detailed wine-making information!):

Variety - 100% Merlot

Soil type - white clay

Vinification - aged 16 months in new french oak

ABV - 13.5%

Sugar content - 4 g/L

No. of bottles produced - approx. 40,000

My tasting notes:

A dark red in the glass, this wine offers up a restrained but pretty bouquet of red fruit, black currant, rooibos tea and wet earth on the nose. On the palate, the wine is unbalanced and angular, with not enough fruit, very firm tannins and almost an astringent quality. While there is decent acidity, it is overshadowed by the aforementioned characteristics, as is the finish.

I tried this wine both with and without food and the wine didn’t really change for me. I also decanted it, first in a decanter and then in my glass, for several hours. I would say it only marginally improved over this time.

Aging potential:

I think this wine could be aged for at least 5-7 years but I’m not convinced that it’ll become drastically better with aging.

Recommendations to Wineitupanotch:

If you’re going to try this wine, I’d definitely recommend pairing it with a rich grilled red meat dish. For example, steak au poivre would work.

Wineitupanotch Wine Score: 85 points

This wine didn’t have the soft and velvety character I look for in a Merlot wine. The fruit is currently being overshadowed by the tannins in this wine and I’m not sure whether or when this will improve.

If you’re located in Ontario, and wish to purchase this wine, you can find it at the LCBO under Product #363101.

FINAL VERDICT:

Unfortunately, this wine missed the mark for me. So it’s not one I’m personally recommending at this stage. I think there are better, more accessible wines available at or around this price point. However, I should note that wine critics have scored this wine highly and whether you like it or not may very well depend on your own palate. I will say that this is probably not the right wine to serve to a wine newbie, because of the strong tannin profile.

Until next time, wishing you love, light and good food and wine!

Cheers!

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