With nearly 20 years of aging and an unfathomably low price, today’s 2001 Château Roudier sets a SommSelect record for value. Up until the point of purchase just months ago, this Right Bank stunner’s entire life was spent in the dark, cold cellar of Roudier. Re-tasting this antique gem upon arrival was a real treat for the senses: It’s a magical thing to see it all come together so seamlessly right out of the bottle—but we weren’t the only ones that were infatuated with it.
I sent the remainder of the bottle home with a friend, who in turn had a dinner party. Fast-forward a couple of hours and a text flashed onto my phone reading, “how much is this wine?” with a close up of Roudier’s label. He was duly shocked when “$24” popped onto his screen. That’s the unfailing allure of decades-old Bordeaux from lesser-known
châteaux—it’s near impossible to find any other red that comes close to competing. I would have purchased more of this wine if it were feasible, but what little we have to share with you today is enough to make many folks very happy. It’s a brilliant Bordeaux chock full of gravelly savor, dried fruits, and energy that keeps it humming across your palate. I expect this to be gone quickly, so act fast if you’d like a taste for yourself!
If it’s value Right Bank Bordeaux you’re seeking, it’s hard to do better than the four “satellite” appellations of Saint-Émilion—Montagne, Puisseguin, Lussac, and Saint-Georges—all of which have a rich history that can be traced to the Roman Empire. Today we’re focused on the most prominent of the four, Montagne. It abuts Saint-Émilion to the northeast and received its appellation status in 1936; prior to this, wines here were sold under the prestigious Saint-Émilion label. Today, the satellites are experiencing a renaissance: As wine prices in Saint-Émilion continue rising, these remain astoundingly affordable.
Mere miles from the grand châteaux of Cheval Blanc, Ausone, and Pavie-Macquin, the humble property of Roudier is perched on the southern slope of Montagne, overlooking Saint-Émilion. This is more than fitting, given that the owners of this 30-hectare estate, the Capdemourlin family, have been here for hundreds of years, with documentation of their ancestors selling barrels of wine in 1647. Their presence here has been so noteworthy that the locality in which they live has been named Cap de Mourlin.
Today’s Merlot-dominant wine, rounded out by both Cabernets, was hand-harvested in 2001 and fermented in concrete vats over three weeks, all while being tasted and analyzed by world-famous enologist Michel Rolland. Upon completion, the wine then aged in 33% new French barrels.
Optimally ripe grapes, a masterful blend courtesy of maestro Rolland, the judicious use of new oak, and 18 years of undisturbed aging in Bordeaux makes for a perfectly mature bottle of wine. The wine certainly shows its age, with garnet hues and a brick orange rim, but it’s beautifully poised on the nose with savory earth, dried red/black fruits, touches of baking spice, and tobacco. Dried black plum, redcurrant, pipe tobacco, cigar wrapper, underbrush, crushed gravel, dried rose petals—it’s simply gorgeous. Years of aging have removed any tannic edge that may have once been present, yet it has impressively retained a vibrant lift of acidity that keeps it dancing into a full-on savory finish. It’s at its peak now but should continue drinking well for another five years. To prepare the bottle for service, stand the wine up 24 hours before carefully removing the cork, ideally using a two-pronged “ah-so” opener. Carefully serve the wine just above cellar temp (60-65F), while trying not to disturb the sediment, and allow it to open up for 5-10 minutes in your Bordeaux stems. It will fire on all cylinders for the next couple of hours, just beware of the touch of sediment at the bottom of the bottle when pouring the last ounce or two! You can also decant the wine if planning on serving with a dinner course, but note that it will need to be consumed quicker, as excess oxygen breaks down mature wines faster. Either way, sit down, relax, and enjoy the luxury of mature, impossibly affordable Right Bank red. Cheers!
