I had to get to my local wine shop, The Fine Wine Source of Livonia, to pick up the new wine club selections.  Actually, I think this is the first time that I went on the same day, that I got the notification.  It has been rather hectic here, but more about that at a later date.  Suffice it to say, that I had to maintain my sanity and the ability to communicate with humans and no, we are not under draconian lockdowns again.  This is self-imposed and eventually an article or two may arise from this.  As for now, I will stop rambling and discuss the two wines, one Old World and one New World.

The first wine, which represents the Old World is Chateau Bourdieu Blay Cotes de Bordeaux 2019.  The story goes that Luc Schweitzer used to pass by this property on his way to his boarding school and the property goes back to 1464.  Eventually he followed in his parent’s footsteps and became a winegrower and he bought this property in 1993 and has worked to add and expand the estate to where it is now one-hundred-eighty-five acres.  The winery is run as a sustainable agriculture vineyard with modern methods of farming and no reliance on chemicals. When I was in my teens, they use to joke that in music one often hears of the three B’s, off to the side of Bordeaux is another set of three B’s. The Cotes de Bourg, the Cotes de Blaye and Bergerac are productive wine districts on the wrong side of the Gironde (which encompasses Bordeaux).  These two areas were producing wines before the Medoc was even planted.  They are classic made wines known as Claret.  They unfortunately have been totally eclipsed by the Medoc and even the Bordeaux wines.  The Cotes de Bordeaux appellation was created in 2009, to put all the “cotes” under one banner; Blaye, Cadillac, Castillon and Francs.  The wine is a blend of eighty-seven percent Merlot, ten percent Cabernet Sauvignon and three percent Cabernet Franc with vines averaging thirty-five-years in age, and aged in Stainless Steel.  The wine is described as a beautiful ruby red, with a nose of red fruits and black currants, with integrated tannins and a nice long finish.

The New World is represented by TRIM Wines Cabernet Sauvignon California 2018.  TRIM Project was started by Ray Signorello in 2011.  His concept was two wines, one focus and zero distractions by creating a single Cabernet and a single Chardonnay.  A total trimmed down approach to winemaking.  The wine is eighty-seven percent Cabernet Sauvignon with seven percent Malbec and six percent Petite Sirah.  The notes for this wine list a nose of dark cherry, pipe tobacco and grilled herbs, a balanced and medium weight wine with notes of cranberry, pomegranate, mulberry and herbs with a long finish.  Sounds perfect for a burger.