Between its myriad geographic appellations (AOCs) and its various “quality” classifications, Bordeaux is a many-tentacled beast, to put it mildly. The Côtes de Bordeaux AOC is a fairly long stretch of land southeast of the city of Bordeaux along the Garonne River, one of the two waterways (the other being the Dordogne, which runs through Libourne) that meet to form the Gironde Estuary. As in other “Right Bank” appellations in Bordeaux, the Côtes de Bordeaux soil composition is a mix of alluvial (i.e. river-borne) gravel over clay and limestone, and the historic Château Laroche sits on a gentle plateau overlooking the Garonne in the village of Baurech. The picturesque château dates to the 17th century and, like so many of the region’s wine estates, had passed through generations of noble hands. In 2009, the vintner and merchant Jean Meurlaut, owner of the neighboring Château Dudon, purchased Laroche’s 25 hectares of vineyards, while the property’s previous owners, the Palau family, held onto the château itself.

The 2008 Château Laroche is comprised of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernets Sauvignon and Franc, sourced from vines averaging about 40 years of age. The wine was aged in a mix of new and used French oak cooperage, and there are two standout features about it that are worth mentioning: (1) as is typical of many wines from 2008, one of the latest harvests in recent memory and one known for wines that were intensely structured on initial release, this wine is only just now starting to settle into itself; and (2) whether the vintage played a role or not is hard to say, but it shows quite a lot of “Cabernet” character for a Merlot-driven wine, with lots of the pencil lead/tobacco character noted above. In the glass, it displays a rather youthful ruby-garnet core moving to pink and orange at the rim, with heady aromas of blackberry, red and black plum, cassis, coffee grounds, Portobello mushrooms, cedar, and crushed black rocks. Medium-bodied and firmly structured, it still has further evolution ahead of it, which is downright incredible for a wine of this price point—that said, you should enjoy multiple bottles now, allowing about 45 minutes in a decanter before serving at 60-65 degrees in Bordeaux stems. It’s got the stuffing to handle steaks off the grill and, if you’re looking to impress a larger group of guests without going broke, this would be a perfect choice. This wine next to some char-grilled, mushroom-topped burgers would be outrageously good. What a golden arrow to have in your quiver. Enjoy!