12. THE BORDEAUX VARIETIES

CABERNET SAUVIGNON & MERLOT

This class focuses on grapes grown in Bordeaux in France but when they are grown in other countries, the wines are said to be made from a ‘Bordeaux Blend’. Cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, merlot and malbec are the candidates. The three wines below are all spectacular versions of this timehonoured style of red wine.

2017 Vandenberg, Melee, Limestone Coast SOUTH AUSTRALIA

(£10, Co-op) You will have seen that Vandenberg picked up an award in our chardonnay class, so to have come number one in this section, too, is jawdropping. I take my hat off to Co-op for sourcing these. Here, the blend is 50 per cent cabernet sauvignon and 50 per cent shiraz, which bends the Bordeaux Blend rules a touch. In the old days, the Aussies called this style ‘claret’, a reference to Bordeaux. They used shiraz instead of merlot because merlot didn’t perform very well in their hot climates. Today this blend is called The Great Australian Red and I hold an annual competition in Adelaide to find the finest Aussie wines made from this

blend. Vandenberg is a super-juicy, super-smooth stunner with plum and blackberry fruit and a heroic finish.

2016 Wolf Blass, Silver Label Shiraz/Cabernet/Malbec SOUTH AUSTRALIA (£10, reduced

to £9 until 26 December, Tesco) This is another wine which made the cut for my 100 Best Australian Wines Report this year. I’m delighted the judges loved it, with its dark fruit and oodles of spice which I think comes from the addition of malbec. This wine has a flavour which is twice the price, so don’t delay in tracking it down.

2014 Château Jouanin, Castillon CÔTES DE BORDEAUX,

FRANCE (£9, Co-op) How exciting to find a truly great red Bordeaux under a tenner, and with a few years under its belt. Jouanin is a classic Castillon style: 80 per cent cabernet franc and 20 per cent merlot, then 60 per cent of the wine is aged in barrels before blending. If you love classic ‘claret’, you’ll be delighted with this.

FOODIE NOTES

The Vandenberg winner here is smooth, silky, rich and ripe, full of black fruit and savoury spices, and underpinned by a lovely menthol freshness. It’s a must for roast red meats.