Description Château Les Rochers isn’t pretending to be a classed growth, but the property's Réserve Espéciale has fabulous concentration and structure. These give you the luxury of drinking it now or cellaring. Quality was so good in 2018, in fact, the winemaker decided it needed 18 months in fine French oak. It’s from an estate that's been owned by the Roux family for five generations. The name Les Rochers, ‘the rocks’, comes from the limestone-rich soil, which keeps the vines very well drained. As you’d expect in the Entre Deux Mers, the grapes are Merlot, with both Cabernets playing second fiddle. Dense plum and cedar layered with oak, this is an accessible Bordeaux red, but will benefit from decanting. Serve with roast meats or a warming casserole.
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%.
