Bear Market Bordeaux

Seems that it wasn't too long ago that some people were willing to pay almost anything for a top-rated Bordeaux. While the bulls ran on Wall Street, many market mavens in New York restaurants didn't hesitate to order that second bottle of '61 Latour or '82 Lafite. Price was of no concern. And probably only those investors insightful enough to get out of the market early are now able to afford the $7, 000 per case commanded by some high-scoring 2000 Bordeaux futures like Cheval Blanc.

These days, however, it might be best, for most of us, to assume an easy-come-easy-go attitude and look for affordable wines that will get us through--at least while the bears rule the market. Fortunately, "affordable" does not necessarily mean "mediocre" and, for those of us who occasionally crave a classic French red, "reasonably priced" and "Bordeaux" are not inevitably mutually exclusive. Granted, you might have to forego the rarefied appellations like Pauillac or Margaux and pass by the highbrow chateaux like Haut Brion or Mouton. Indeed, you might even have to rule out many of the better known producers' second labels. Nevertheless, given the number of good to outstanding Bordeaux vintages since 1993, there's plenty of drinkable wine out there, at prices that are easy on the pocket.

Where are the best values to be found? You might begin with a simple generic Bordeaux or Bordeaux Superieur. But you have to be careful here. There's a plethora of bottles that fall into these two classifications, and many can be pretty bland. If you have a reputable wine merchant, ask him or her for some recommendations. You might find a real winner.

Canon-Fronsac is another region where one can discover marvelous values. Once these wines were quite tannic, but there's been an effort in the region to produce less rustic and more elegant wines, as can be seen in bottles from producers like Canon-de-Brem.

Saint Emilion and Pomerol turn out some of the most expensive Bordeaux available. Names like "Cheval Blanc" and "Petrus" are among the most sought after by collectors, with older vintages fetching astronomical prices at auction and current releases bringing in six- to seven-hundred dollars a bottle. If you look, however, to the lesser known and un-classified Saint Emilions or to the appellations surrounding Saint Emilion and Pomerol, sometimes referred to as "satellites" of these regions, you can discover some truly elegant wines, in which Merlot takes precedence in the blend over Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Here again, you will have to trust your merchant (or reviewer) for good recommendations. Many of the names you may, more than likely, never have heard of, but the chances of finding some that you will enjoy are high. After all, shouldn't there be some degree of discovery in wine shopping?

In fact, the challenge of discovering affordable Bordeaux is why we selected relatively unknown wines for this month's feature and passed over some better known labels like Greysac and Bel-Air. We trusted our merchants' recommendations and, for the most part, were quite pleased with the outcome.

So even if the days of "irrational exuberance" in the market may be over, there's always time for some Bacchanalian exuberance at the dinner table with budget Bordeaux.

A few serving notes: To get the most out of young Bordeaux, I recommend that you give them adequate breathing time before serving. Uncork, pour off an ounce or two, and let the bottle stand, away from any heat, for a couple of hours. In fact, you might also decant the wine, without any fuss, by simply pouring it into a glass pitcher. Doing so should allow the nose to develop and may even, to a degree, soften any tannins. If tannins are a problem for you or one of your guests, as they are for a member of our tasting panel, check out vintage charts and guides. They will sometimes indicate which vintages have particularly firm tannins. Finally, if you've chosen a dud, as we all have on occasion , be sure to have some great cheese and crusty bread on hand. You'll understand better the old wine merchants' maxim, "Buy on apples; sell on cheese."

One final note. I have found that many people are intimidated by French wines and especially by Bordeaux, owing either to fear of the unknown or to foreign language anxiety. If you're among these ranks, break from them now. Believe me, most good wine merchants and professional sommeliers are more than willing to guide you through the maze of selecting a good Bordeaux. If you can't pronounce the name, just point to the bottle on the shelf or on the list, ask how it's pronounced and for some background on the wine. Over time, as you find yourself more comfortable with the selection process, you'll regret that you didn't try these wines sooner.

As is our custom, we first tasted each of these wines individually and then with dinner. We tasted them in order of age and then strength. For our entrée, we served a hearty beef and white-bean casserole, followed by a selection of creamy French cheeses.

1999 Chateau Teyssier, Bordeaux ($11.99)
Garnet in color, with good legs, this wine has a classic Bordeaux nose of earth and cassis, followed by some hints of cherry. Light bodied and dry, it's still somewhat tannic. On the palate, it delivers leathery earthy flavors that evolve into wild mushroom. The wine has a good finish with some mushroom notes. This is well structured wine that after a few hours showed at its best. It was quite good with the braised beef. Imported by Regal Wine Imports, Inc., Marlton, NJ.

1999 Chateau Jean l'Arc, Bordeaux ($9.99)
Ruby in color, this wine has nice legs and a black-licorice nose that's a bit restrained. There are some vegetal notes as well. Light to medium bodied, with mild tannins, this wine appears a little thin, with dry, black-fruit flavors enveloped in mild tannins. It's a tad short on the finish. This wine improved when tasted a few hours later with the food. Imported by Regal Wine Imports, Inc., Marlton, NJ.

1999 Chateau Cablanc, Bordeaux ($9.99)
Bright garnet in color, almost translucent, this wine has good legs and a nose of cassis and tobacco with some chalk notes. Light bodied and dry, it delivers sour, wild-cherry and cassis flavors accompanied by understated tannins. It has a dry, cedar finish with some spice notes. This wine was good with the food. Imported by Regal Wine Imports, Inc., Marlton, NJ.

1998 Chateau du Cauze, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru ($17.99)
This wine is deep ruby in color and has long legs. The nose is attractive, with cherry, chocolate, and some floral, violet notes. Smooth on entry, the wine is dry and medium bodied and still somewhat tannic. It delivers lingering chocolate and black-cherry flavors that should develop with a little more time. It has a good finish, with spice and some cedar notes. This wine was very good with the food. The first star of the tasting. Imported by William Grant and Sons, Inc., New York, NY.

1998 Chateau Piganeau, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru ($19.99)
Ruby in color, with good legs, the wine has an attractive, sweet nose of cassis and cherry along with some toast notes. On the palate, it's medium bodied, well structured, and delivers cherry and chocolate flavors accompanied by mild tannins. There's some cedar in the background as well. The wine has a good finish, with hints of cherry and lingering cedar. It was excellent with the food. Another star of this tasting. Imported by Signature Selections, So. Kearney, NJ.

1998 Chateau Faizeau, Montagne St-Emilion "Selection Vieilles Vignes" ($16.99)
Deep ruby, almost purple, in color, this wine has loads of slow legs and a pretty floral nose with cherry notes and an element of warmth. Dry, firm tannins encase the meaty, beefy flavors. There's also an underpinning of currants. The finish is dry and tannic with some chalk notes. This wine was good with the food. Imported by William Grant and Sons, Inc., New York, NY.

1998 Chateau La Grande Clotte, Lussac-Saint-Emilion ($14.99)
Opaque garnet in color, this wine has thick legs and a bright nose of earth, grass, herbs, and some blue plums as well. Light to medium bodied, the wine is well structured with tannins and fruit in good balance. Its beefy flavors, with blue-plum notes, linger on the tongue. It has a dry, tannic finish with notes of dark chocolate and currants. This wine was better on its own than with the braised beef . Imported by the Stacole Co., Inc., Boca Raton, FL.

1998 Chateau de la Grande Chapelle, Bordeaux Superieur ($11.99)
Light garnet in color, with a plethora of long legs, this wine has a forward nose of green bell pepper. It's dry and light bodied, with dry, cherry and dark-chocolate flavors The finish is dry but also short. It was adequate with the food. Imported by Signature Selections, So. Kearney, NJ.

1998 Chateau Florestan, Premiers Cotes de Bordeaux ($9.99)
Garnet, with long legs, this wine has an earthy nose with mushroom aromas and some vegetal notes. It's silky smooth on the palate and has a very soft, supple mouthfeel. Light in body, it yields chocolate and cherry flavors with some hints of cedar. It has an adequate finish with, as one taster put it, "a wood kind of a thing." It was good with the food. At this price, it represents a fine value. Imported by Signature Selections, So. Kearney, NJ.

1998 Moulin de Clotte, Cotes de Castillon ($11.99)
Ruby in color, this wine has good legs and a sweet, wild-cherry nose with some hints of cedar. On the palate, it is warm, light bodied, and delivers dry, cherry flavors with some currant notes. It has a nice finish with lingering cedar flavors that made one taster compare it to a "1930s silk smoking jacket." This wine nicely complemented the food. Imported by Signature Selections, So. Kearney, NJ.

1997 Chateau Siaurac, Lalande de Pomerol ($16.99)
This wine has a garnet color and good legs. The nose is subtle with tobacco, earth, and some spice. It's silky and smooth on the tongue and well structured with soft tannins. It delivers plenty of dark-chocolate and blue plum flavors, with hints of currants or cassis. It has a good dry, currant finish. This wine was extremely good with the beef dish. Another star of this tasting. Imported by Dreyfus, Ashby & Co., New York, NY.

1995 Canon de Brem, Canon Fronsac ($19.99)
Ruby to garnet in color, this wine's age is reflected in the outer ring of glycerin that appears in the glass. At this age, its aromas have developed into an attractive bouquet of currants, smoke, and some cinnamon. It's soft and supple on the palate and delivers flavors of chalk, dried cherry, and chocolate. It has a long finish with lush, wild cherry notes. This wine was excellent with the food. Another star of this tasting.

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