Affordable Bordeaux wines tasted by the SI/AdV Panel

For wine lovers seeking well priced Bordeaux wines, offering style, character and quality, Cru Bourgeois is the answer. Starting with the 2018 vintage, which will be released in 2020, a new classification is being introduced which will remain in place for five years instead of a fresh assessment every year. This is a return to the traditional hierarchical system comprising three tiers of quality; Cru Bourgeois, Cru Bourgeois Supérieur and Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel. At their best, the top Cru Bourgeois wines can be better than some of the more famous and more expensive classed growths. Most can be enjoyed young and reach their peak between five to 10 years after the vintage. However, there are also several estates making quality Bordeaux wine which can age, and develop the complexities that wine connoisseurs love in old wines. So if you know which wines to look for, they represent excellent value for money. The SI/AdV Panel tasted a few varied examples available in India.
Here are our recommendations —

2014 Etoiles de Mondorion, Saint- Émilion Grand Cru, Bordeaux ★★★ 
Bright ruby appearance, youthful, with some signs of ageing. Red fruits dominant, fragrant nose with a faint layer of oak, some dried herbs, pinch of warm spices, with crushed florals. Bright palate, vibrant acidity, rounded soft oak, well-matured velvety tannins and balanced alcohol. Palate shows notes of warm spices, juicy red fruits like plums, cranberries, and red currants, with sweet cherries being prominent. Sweet tobacco, earthiness, and a savoury back. The wine is till developing and shows promise to age further. Cohesive and well-integrated. A well-structured mid-segment wine, drinking commendably. Importer Agnetta International New Delhi. (MRP Rs 3,280)