Off the Beaten Track
Near the riverbank at Bourg
(Photo: Tmouchentois)
There was a time,
not so long ago, when most of the roads in France - except the motorways - were
grandly known as Routes Nationales (National Highways) and most road numbers
were preceded by the letters R.N. The system actually dated back to the days of
Napoleon, although he preferred the name Routes Impériales. About ten years ago,
the road numbering system was changed with the result that the superbly Gallic
concept of Routes Nationales has largely disappeared.
The trunk roads were
prosaically renamed “N” roads and apart from the motorways, most of the others
were renamed “D” roads, meaning that they are the responsibility of the local
authority or département. Some of them are busy highways with thundering
traffic, while others are narrow, bucolic country lanes. Bordeaux is
crisscrossed with dozens of “D” roads and the D669 for example, goes through the
brownish-grey town of Bourg which lies on the Right Bank of the Dordogne. The
Romans planted the first vineyards and by the Middle Ages, Bourg had become a
major river-port for wine.
And it’s the rivers, rather than the roads which have enabled the vast swathes
of Bordeaux vineyards to flourish - and not only for transportation. The
Dordogne and the Garonne with their many tributaries are the most important
rivers of the region and have watered the fertile valleys of Bordeaux for
thousands of years, providing a vital contribution to the climate. The Dordogne
rises in the mountains of Auvergne about three hundred miles away, while the
Garonne rises even further away in the highlands of the Pyrenees. These two
rivers meet a little way downstream of Bourg and flow into the massive Gironde
Estuary which itself is fifty miles long. At one point, it’s nearly eight miles
wide.
Château Vieux Lansac, Côtes de Bourg 2010 (red), France (Bt.
699 @ Wine Connection)
Bourg-sur-Gironde (as it’s also known) is about twelve miles
north-east of Bordeaux and the appellation Côtes de Bourg refers to the hilly
vineyards that thrive around the town. This area is especially interesting for
wine drinkers, because if you want decent claret without first having to sell
the cat, the hinterlands of Bordeaux offer some excellent cheaper reds.
Incidentally, the wines made to the right of the Gironde Estuary usually contain
a high proportion of Merlot grapes, whereas Cabernet Sauvignon tends to dominate
wines from châteaux (or “wineries”) to the left.
It’s not surprising then, that in this purple-red wine from the Côtes de Bourg,
Merlot is the main grape, with Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc playing
supporting roles. The Cabernet Sauvignon brings a bit of firmness to the blend
while the Cabernet Franc brings finesse and improves the aroma. Talking of
which, this wine has an appealing and very soft smell, plenty of fruit with
cherry, dry herbs, hints of pepper and background reminders of woodland and oaky
vanilla. It’s quite light-bodied with a gentle and satisfying mouth-feel; more
cherry and herbs on the palate and a pleasing dash of acidity. Surprisingly the
wine seems very low in tannin, but it’s there alright – delicate and clearly
defined. The wine is very dry but the fruit gives the impression of half a
degree away from total dryness. There’s a lovely crisp, dry finish and I’d say
that this wine is fairly typical light, elegant claret with good balance and
structure.
It’s very approachable too and at 13.5% it would make a good partner for light
meals, roasts, quiches and cheese dishes. The 2010 vintage won a Gold Medal at
the Concours de Bordeaux, one of the key events in the Bordeaux wine industry
for over fifty years.
Château Lacoste Garzac, Bordeaux 2011 (red), France (Bt. 649 @
Wine Connection)
If you were to leave Bourg on the D669 and then join the D670, about
forty minutes later you’d find yourself in the old city of Libourne, founded in
1270 and now the wine-making capital of Northern Gironde. Another fifteen miles
south-east and you’d be near the home of Ch. Lacoste Garzac, a winery near the
Dordogne River and close to the sleepy commune of Mouliets et Villemartin on the
D15, a one-horse town if ever there was one. It’s a good way inland too – about
thirty-five miles east of Bordeaux. Not surprisingly, Merlot is the dominant
grape, eighty percent of it to be precise. The remainder of the blend is made up
of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc which is a fairly typical combination
for this region, indeed for most of Bordeaux.
And just in case you’re wondering, both this week’s Merlot-dominated wines are
totally different from Chilean Merlots. The Chilean ones are not usually blended
with other varietals but they benefit from the warmer, gentler climate and
different terroir, giving them sweeter and richer aromas, more forward fruit and
softer tannins. Château Lacoste Garzac is a very different animal. If you have
ever tasted one of those robust reds from St. Emilion, this is rather similar in
style. Actually, this is not too surprising because that town is only about ten
miles up the road on the D243. Château Lacoste Garzac has modern stainless steel
tanks with temperature controls and a cellar of more than 300 barrels. A photo
of the gleaming stainless steel tanks appears on the front page of their
website, so it would seem that the owners are very proud of them.
The wine is brilliant ruby-red and as dry as they come, but there’s an
attractive soft texture with a firm framework of tannin. The back label solemnly
states, “His nose is pretty fruit flavours.” I wouldn’t put it quite like that.
To my nose, the wine has powerful Merlot aromas of red berries, earthy herbs,
black cherries and a hint of vanilla. The wine is quite reserved and rather a
more serious affair that the light and approachable Château Vieux Lansac.
Perhaps some people might find it a bit austere, a bit like an old-fashioned
country schoolmaster. But even so, this is very much my kind of wine.
The wine comes at 13% alcohol content and almost begs for food. The locals in
the Côtes de Castillon recommend that you drink this wine with game, mushroom
dishes, spare ribs or roasted lamb. For suitable cheeses, you could choose (they
suggest) between Cantal, Comté, Reblochon or the little-known sheep’s-milk
cheese Ossau-Iraty. Now I have to admit that this information is slightly
irrelevant, because the chances of finding any of these cheeses around here are
not very high, especially the Ossau-Iraty. But you never know your luck. An
earlier vintage of this wine won a Bronze medal at the prestigious General
Agricultural Competition of Paris, held regularly at the Porte de Versailles.
It’s quite close to the D989, since you asked.