Celebrating the Big Bottles of Bordeaux | 2024

When Vins de Bordeaux invites you to a special event specific to writers and the like, you go! It’s been a while since I’ve been into Manhattan (maybe three years?) but I absolutely had to attend this event. It was an intimate exploration of the wines from Bordeaux lead by winemakers, industry experts, and Master of Wine Mary Gorman-McAdams. I adore the wines of Bordeaux, I think they’re magic in the glass and I have the utmost appreciation for its masterful creation.

During our outing were joined by:

• Château Cap Léon Veyrin with Nathalie Meyre.
• Château d’Arche with Kunal Chowdhary Sauternes.
• Château Robin with Jan Thienpont
• Château Thieuley with Sylvie Courselle
• Mouton Cadet with Pierre ögren de Rothschild
• Vignobles Hermouet with Esther Hermouet

We began our tour at Vin sur Vingt, a popular NYC wine bar chain, at their West Village location where we met Kunal and Pierre. Although Kunal represents a chateau that makes predominantly sweet wines in Sauternes the example he brought today showcased another side of Sauternes: Dry Whites. The AOP Bordeaux Blanc offered pretty aromatics with white flowers, citrus, and stone fruit. It’s a fuller bodied white wine that is incredibly food friendly, 90% Sémillon with 10% of Sauvignon Blanc. It paired well with a goat cheese crostini we were served.

The next wine was Mouton Cadet 2020 AOC Bordeaux, which is a wine from the family of Baron Philippe de Rothschild which was represented by his great-grandson Pierre who is visiting in NYC for the next two months. 2020 was a great vintage year for the region and this wine was tasting beautifully. It showcases red & black fruits with a hint of greenery, a very food friendly wine comprised of 86% Merlot and 14% Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine is a part of a larger line of Mouton Cadet wines which includes a chillable red, a modern Bordeaux Merlot, a rosè, and a dry white all of which are made with organic grapes.

After enjoying some light bites we departed Vin Sur Vingt to go to Lighthouse BK in Brooklyn. This resturant sources fresh, local ingredients and even showcases less popular cuts of meat which they transform into something really delicious. This is where we added Jan and Esther to our “Bordeaux Cru.”

Jan brought his Chateau Robin 2021 Millesime which is a beautifully made Merlot dominant blend. It is organic and they employ other methods for pest control such as the usage of chickens in the vineyards. Not only do they eat bugs but they also help fertilize and aerate the soil. He has a strong focus on maintaining almost a vineyard ecosystem while employing other animals and plants to maintain balance. This wine is 80% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Malbec.

Next, we enjoyed Esther’s wine which comes from the commune of Sailans, which is in the heart of the Fronsac Appellation. Esther represents the 5th generation of Vignobles Hermouet winemakers. She works alongside her father, brother and sister. This AOP Fronsac wine had a nose that was intense with lots of dark fruits, chocolate, and a silky mouthfeel with hints of red fruits and even graphite. Another great food wine, although this could easily be enjoyed on its own. 95% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc.

After a nice meal, we headed to the next stop in our journey: Corkscrew Wine & Spirits, a hip little wine shop right in Brooklyn. Corkscrew is also participating in the Bordeaux Big Bottles program. So if you’re in the area stop in and get a Double Magnum (3L also equivalent to 4 bottles of wine).

This is where we tried a wine from Sylvie’s portfolio: A lovely pale AOC Bordeaux Rosè from Entre Deaux Mers. This wine has a contemporary label, which reads “Made with Love” and it shows! The Courselle family has ran Chateau Thieuley since 1950. Sylvie works alongside her sister, Marie. Their estate is bee friendly, sustainable, and has acquired several certificates demonstrating these environmental measures. The Rosè paired nicely with the beautiful cheese and charcuterie board before us. It demonstrates notes of red fruits and some minerality. A Rosè for anytime of year. 65% Cabernet Franc, 30% Merlot, and 5% Petit Verdot. Aged on lees. They also produce a Clairet, which is a deeply pigmented Rosè or even by some assessments a very pale red. Certainly worth seeking out to try something new.

The last wine we sampled on our journey was from the Listrac Medoc AOC, Chateau Cap Leon Veyrin 2018 cru bourgeois superieur. This is a deep dark wine with very rich notes that show spices, red and dark fruits, with an elegant palate. I really enjoyed this wine. 58% Merlot, 39% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Petit Verdot. Average age of the vines is 40 years. Winemaker Nathalie represents the 6th generation of the Chateau and is owner of the estate. She works alongside her brother, Julien. She is committed to sustainability to ensure a long future for wines of Bordeaux.

After our last wine we headed back to Manhattan to complete our tour. In true NYC fashion of course we encountered traffic on our way to our final destination, OCabanon. This is where the 2024 Bordeaux Big Bottles Launch Event was taking place.

Although I didn’t stay long I could feel the excitement and energy all throughout OCabanon. Winemakers and representatives were pouring from the magnificent big bottles and I could tell the crowd was really enjoying themselves.

The excursion was thoughtfully planned to not only include multiplying wine makers added to our “Bordeaux cru” after each stop, but to also highlight a phenomenal grape: Merlot.

With the exception of the AOP Bordeaux Blanc from Chateau d’Arche and the AOC Bordeaux Rosè by Chayeau Thieuley, all the red wines were Merlot dominated and delicious. Well played!

If you know you know, but once upon a time there was a movie called “Sideways” and ever since then, let’s just say, Merlot has never received the appreciation it deserves. Bordeaux is where Merlot thrives. it is the most widely planted grape variety in Bordeaux. It grows well in cool moist soil and is surprisingly hardy to less desirable weather. So give give Merlot another try!

During the Bordeaux Big Bottles Campaign I highly recommend you make a trip into one of the establishments serving one of the big bottles. Also insist that they pour in front of you! That’s part of the fun and the magic! If you can’t make it into manhattan BuyRite of NJ has acquired some of these Big Bottles at their retail shops. Buy a bottle and have a party!