There’s still a good deal of ink being spilled over whether Bordeaux is poised to become “cool” again. A lot of younger sommeliers never developed a connection with Bordeaux wines because the region has long been perceived as the exclusive preserve of rich collectors—and, on the
château ownership side, a place where large corporate interests and long-entrenched noble families have pushed prices ever higher.
Except the reality of Bordeaux is, and always has been, estates like the family-run Château Charmail in the Haut-Médoc. As its Cru Bourgeois classification indicates, Charmail is part of a vast “middle class” in Bordeaux that is too easily overlooked. Here at SommSelect we don’t overlook it—we celebrate it. This, as our customers are aware, is our wheelhouse: Honest-to-goodness Bordeaux with real terroir character and a clear capacity for cellaring, at a price that’s the furthest thing from exclusive. We think Bordeaux is already cool again and wines like today’s 2012 from Charmail are the reason why. There’s no denying the quality and the value, and even better, there’s nothing “cookie-cutter” about this bottle. It’s just one family doing their best to showcase their little corner of this vast winemaking region. I think that’s very cool!
The corner of Bordeaux in question is the commune of Saint-Seurin de Cadourne, just two kilometers north of Saint-Estèphe but just outside that AOC, instead falling under the Haut-Médoc designation. Unlike other more “inland” sections of the Haut-Médoc, which stretches all the way from the city of Bordeaux up past Saint-Estèphe, Saint-Seurin de Cadourne is part of a little nodule of Haut-Médoc which, like Saint-Estèphe, reaches closer to the Gironde River and features similarly gravel-rich soils. Château Charmail’s 28 hectares of vineyards are contained in a single, contiguous parcel that reaches right to the ‘left’ bank of the Gironde; these vineyards are planted to roughly 48% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot, which approximates the typical final blend for the estate’s grand vin (top wine) in any given vintage.
The château and its vineyards were purchased in 2008 by Bernard D’Halluin and family, who kept the previous owner, Olivier Sèze, on as the Estate Director. Together they’ve overseen extensive renovations and vineyard re-plantings at the property, and have been included for many years in the annually updated “Cru Bourgeois” classification, which typically contains 250-300 quality oriented Left Bank châteaux not included in the First-through-Fifth Growth ranking of the “1855 classification.” Writing for Wine Enthusiast, Roger Voss characterized the member estates of the Cru Bourgeois classification thusly: “This is the real Bordeaux: wines made with the same care as those from the famed Crus Classés, by families that have often been in the same place for generations.” I’d add that the value-for-dollar in this ‘class’ of Bordeaux is simply off the charts!
The 2012 vintage in Bordeaux has gotten mixed reviews: The weather was tough and the harvest was marred by autumn rains, which affected the quality of the later-ripening Cabernet Sauvignon. Today’s wine from Charmail, driven by 43% Merlot (which ripens much earlier), is showing no ill effects whatsoever. It is not boisterously ripe (as, for example, the ’15 will likely be) but that actually works to its advantage: There’s great balance, soil character, and genuine elegance to this bottle. In the glass, it’s a medium ruby with garnet and pink reflections, with aromas reminiscent of the classic “clarets” of yore: black plum, currant, wild red berries, grilled herbs, green and black pepper, cocoa powder, and dark, humid earth. It is medium-bodied, with modest alcohol and well-integrated oak (it spent just 12 months in barrels, one-third of which were new) and fine, dusty tannins that lend mouth-watering grip. The finish is floral and long and it is clear this wine has at least 10 more years of positive evolution should you decide to lose a few bottles in your cellar. Decant it about 45 minutes before serving at 60-65 degrees in Bordeaux stems and pair it with the grilled meat of your choice: beef, pork, lamb, duck…it has great freshness and balance, which offers great versatility. It really is the total Bordeaux package without the ‘donor class’ price—something everyone can appreciate!
