Château Rocher Cap de Merle Bordeaux Superieur, Vintage 2006

I know the name is a mouthful, but this is a seriously interesting wine.

For the wine beginners like I was fairly recently, Bordeaux refers to a region in France that produces very high quality wines. This particular wine is from Pomerol, a sub-region on the right bank within Bordeaux, where the main grape grown is the Cabernet Franc. While a typical top-quality Château blend is usually 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc & 15% Merlot (referred to as the "Bordeaux Blend"), this wine's composition is 80% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, which is more typical of a right bank wine.

I had the opportunity to try this wine at a wine tasting done by my boss at Sherwood's Landing. While it's on the lower-end, price-wise and quality wise, in comparison to some of the Bordeaux blends on our wine list, I think this is a good starter for someone who would like to get into French wine.

Initial Impression: As I tasted this over a month ago, I'm just going off my tasting notes, but I really liked this one from what I wrote. Because my palate wasn't as refined (I was still going through my wine classes!), I wrote things like "yummy!" and "a bit sour" (probably referring to the astringent nature of the tannins). Still, I liked this wine then, and I'm confident that I'd like it even more now.

Verdict: Nice starter for French wine exploration! My tasting notes are a combination of my own ideas and those given to me by my boss during the lesson, but I have written: ripe fruit, sweet spices like cinnamon and clove, and cedar wood. I also have words like "chewy" and "strong" likely referring to the full bodied nature of this wine - it is practically a meal in a bottle!

Pairing: Bordeaux blends are STEAK wines. It would be great with a burger or even a lamb dish, but this meaty wine pairs perfectly with a meaty meal.

Wine: Châteaux Rocher Cap de Merle Bordeaux Superieur, Vintage 2006
Cost: Around $15
Place Purchased: Available at two of the three liquor stores where I live, I'm pretty sure you can get this one anywhere there's a decent wine selection. It's also on the wine list at Sherwood's Landing, if anyone wants to come visit me at work...