Description Château de la Grande Tour is a petit château estate in the hands of Christian Dumas, whose family is very well respected in Bordeaux circles. This wine regularly wins Gold. The judges described the 2020 vintage as “Perky nose of ripe garden berry fruits. The palate is crisp, well-balanced and savoury and shows more of the same, extremely delightful aromas ... already very enjoyable”, and the 2022 has just scooped another Gold. It’s a classic blend of mostly Merlot, with a healthy dash of both Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc – a delicious balance between ripe fruit, structured tannins and freshness. A wine that will really come into its own with food. Serve alongside a Sunday roast beef with mushrooms to bring out the wine’s fruit.
There are seven regional Appellations d’origine controlee (AOCs) that may be used throughout the Gironde department. These are Bordeaux Rouge AOC, Bordeaux Supérieur Rouge, Bordeaux Clairet, Bordeaux Rosé, Bordeaux Blanc, a dry white, Bordeaux Supérieur Blanc, a sweet white, and Crémant de Bordeaux, a sparkling methode traditionnelle wine. The entry-level Bordeaux AOC reds are fruity and easy-to-drink, and meant for early consumption rather than cellaring. Exceptions to the general rule are simpler wines like dry white wines produced in Medoc and Sauternes where the production of red and sweet wines dominate. For red wines, the most planted grape varietals are Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. As most regional Bordeaux AOC wines are produced on the Right Bank, Cabernet Franc is often found in the blend. Winemakers are using more and more Malbec, but Petit Verdot is not often seen. For white wines, Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon each represent 42% of the vineyard surface and Muscadelle 9%.
