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Château Branas, Grand Poujeaux

Other, France 2007 (750mL)
$34.00
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Fruit
Earth
Body
Tannin
Acid
Alcohol

Château Branas, Grand Poujeaux

As I’ve noted in previous offers, Bordeaux is brimming with amazing deals, and we found some unbelievable cherries to import directly during a trip to the region last year. People sometimes forget just how vast and diverse the Bordeaux region is, and how much value is lurking around in the shadows of the glorified “classed growths.”
This succulent 2007 from Château Branas is the latest example, and a unique one at that: It carries the name of “Grand-Poujeaux,” a prized vineyard site in the Left Bank village of Moulis-en-Médoc, which lies a few kilometers from the Garonne River (between Pauillac and Margaux) and features more clay mixed with gravel in its soils. This was one of the greatest discoveries of our trip, and we found ourselves comparing its perfumed aromatics and seamless texture to that of top mature Red Burgundy. So, as I’ve also noted in previous offers, the pitch here is rather straightforward: You’ve got perfectly stored mature Bordeaux just entering its drinking peak for less than $35. No waiting for it to age in your cellar—this one is ready to go tonight, and it is singing!
Branas is one of several châteaux that references the Grand Poujeaux vineyard designation on its label (including Château Poujeaux, a neighbor), and it is among the smaller properties in Moulis, with just 12 hectares of vineyards. The higher clay percentage in the soils of Moulis makes it more hospitable to Merlot grapes than most of the Cabernet-heavy Left Bank, and, in Branas’ case, Merlot represents about 50% of the blend along with 45% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot. This slightly atypical varietal mix notwithstanding, this 2007 is a full-throated Left Bank wine, somewhat reminiscent of Margaux in terms of its elegant structure and depth of flavor. The wine is aged 18 months in 80% new French oak, which, after close to a decade of bottle age, has had a chance to integrate.

Branas’ owner, Justin Onclin, purchased the property in 2002 and quickly set about renovating the place from head to toe. He also installed well-known consulting winemaker Stéphane Derenoncourt, and while it’s always tempting to attribute a wine’s style to gurus like him, this is a wine that tastes like its place: it has real soil character to complement its still-substantial extract and dense fruit. It’s a polished wine, but it’s not buffed to such a high sheen that it obscures minerality and earthiness.

The 2007 is in that perfect sweet spot right now—still blessed with some youthful fruit concentration and power but also smoothed out around the edges and unleashing a broader array of aromas. In the glass it’s dark garnet red with slight bricking at the rim, with a very seductive nose of black plum, cassis, black currant, vintage leather, cacao, tobacco leaf, gravel, and dark, humid earth. Medium-plus in body and silky-smooth, it is ready to drink: stand it upright, in a cool place, several hours before serving at 60-65 degrees in Bordeaux stems. Either give it a brief decanting (for sediment only; it does not need much air) or simply pull the cork 15 minutes before serving, keeping an eye out for sediment as you reach the bottom of the bottle. And reach the bottom you will—quickly! Luckily, at this price, you can afford to go for two. This wine is so refined and elegant it would make a perfect pairing with long-braised beef cheeks. Make sure to invite some friends over and have plenty of wine ready!
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Country
France
Region
Other
Sub-Region
FranceMoulis
Soil
Sand, Gravel & Clay
Farming
Sustainable
Blend
Merlot 50%, Cabernet Sauvignon 45%, Petit Verdot 5%
Alcohol
14.0
OAK
80% New French
TEMP.
60-65
Glassware
Bordeaux Stems
Drinking
Now-2020
Decanting
Optional
Pairing
Braised Beef Cheeks

France

Bourgogne

Beaujolais

Enjoying the greatest wines of Beaujolais starts, as it usually does, with the lay of the land. In Beaujolais, 10 localities have been given their own AOC (Appellation of Controlled Origin) designation. They are: Saint Amour; Juliénas; Chénas; Moulin-à Vent; Fleurie; Chiroubles; Morgon; Régnié; Côte de Brouilly; and Brouilly.

Southwestern France

Bordeaux

Bordeaux surrounds two rivers, the Dordogne and Garonne, which intersect north of the city of Bordeaux to form the Gironde Estuary, which empties into the Atlantic Ocean. The region is at the 45th parallel (California’s Napa Valley is at the38th), with a mild, Atlantic-influenced climate enabling the maturation of late-ripening varieties.

Central France

Loire Valley

The Loire is France’s longest river (634 miles), originating in the southerly Cévennes Mountains, flowing north towards Paris, then curving westward and emptying into the Atlantic Ocean near Nantes. The Loire and its tributaries cover a huge swath of central France, with most of the wine appellations on an east-west stretch at47 degrees north (the same latitude as Burgundy).

Northeastern France

Alsace

Alsace, in Northeastern France, is one of the most geologically diverse wine regions in the world, with vineyards running from the foothills of theVosges Mountains down to the Rhine River Valley below.

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