An American dream, New style Bordeaux-blends
When you talk about Bordeaux wines you instantly think of Bordeaux, right? And rightfully so. However since a little while, Bordeaux is not the only region that knows how to produce Bordeaux-blends. Italy has proven itself with the big names like Ornellaia, Sassicaia, Masseto, Tignanello etc. Called the Super-Tuscans.
South Africa does a very good job with their wines as well. Think of De Toren with their beautiful Fusion V, or Nebukadnesar by Babylonstoren. Australia does a good job, New Zealand does a good job, South-America can do pretty well. But there is a particular part that is doing an excellent job at the moment: the USA.
So what is it with the Americans, captivating both critics and enthusiasts? The USA fell in love with the art of Bordeaux in the 1960’s, gained momentum and started to become good at it. Very good. Very, very good. Today, American Bordeaux-blends are right up there on the same level as their French ‘competitors’.
They innovate with their terroir and their special American ‘twists’. And it works. American Bordeaux-blends win the blind tastings against the High-end French wines.
Let’s have a look at what we have in the picture. You can see Opus One, Spottswoode, Forman, and Ridge Vineyards Montebello.
All of the above are big boys in the Bordeaux-blend game. None of them sell for less than a hundred euro, some of them sell for more than a mind blowing four hundred euro. So they are not only good to drink, but they are also a great investment. Bottles like these are sought after everyday by wine-collectors.
California, and especially Sonoma and Napa, has a mediterranean climate. Characterized by hot dry summers, and mild wet winters. Which allows the grapes to ripe to their full potential. Resulting in wines that are full and rich in flavor and have a higher alcohol percentage.
Washington State is also on the rise, and has more of a maritime climate, which results in wines with a lighter body and a higher acidity. More of a classical Bordeaux to say so.
All of these blends are mainly made of:
- Cabernet Sauvignon, which offers structure and flavors like chocolate and dark fruits
- Merlot, which softens the wine
- Cabernet Franc, which creates aroma and makes the wine more herbal/floral
- Petit Verdot/ Malbec, which add different layers of complexity
Spottswoode is an authority on Cabernet Sauvignon dominated blends from California. Their estate Cabernet has a small percentage of Cabernet Franc and a small percentage of Petit Verdot. That means these wines can age, and that means these wines are complex.
Ridge Vineyards, Monte Bello also is one of the icons of California, also mainly dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon. Very powerful wine, with a great potential to age. Beautiful bottle as well.
Forman, a winery that creates small quantities of excellent wines, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Chardonnay. Established in 1983, and is one of the Icons of the US now.
And then we have Opus One. A project, lead by Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe de Rothschild. The first American ultra premium wine. By combining the knowledge of two wine families, something exceptional was created. The sole purpose of this winery is creating wines of perfection, without compromise.
Long story short. Be on the lookout for wines like these. They will rock your world.
