Chateau la Grolet Cotes de Bourg 2004

The Wine... This is a wine to start a cellar with. Buy a case, and beginning in a year or two, drink a bottle every few months. It's the genuine article, a wine I feel really lucky to have run across. Finally, a Bordeaux that I both like and can easily afford to buy. This wine is 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, a classic blend for Blaye that creates wines with abundant dark berry fruit and a classic full Bordeaux texture. The tannin is not obtrusive, but it is there, leading me to believe cellaring Chateau la Grolet is a wise move.

The Land... Limestone, apparently formed from ancient starfish, create special soil along this stretch of the Gironde estuary. Bourg is a town, the vineyards of which cover pretty hillsides that stretch back from the river and surround many other picturesque villages of the area. Over 3,000 hectares of vines are planted in the Cotes de Bourg. This is an indicator of how big Bordeaux is: the area is a small player in the vast region, with over 7,000 acres of grapes!