Bordeaux

When we first tried some French wines, I had my doubts. I thought that it might be a whole year of rather academic tastings, rather than particularly deliciousment. But it's struck me (on the eve of our departure from the Northern Hemisphere) that I am quite well acclimatised, and rather attached to the prticularly scrumptious Bordeaux wines.

I'm so happy to have had the chance to try wines from a number of regions, including Languedoc/Roussillon, Beaujolais, Vallée du Rhône, Val de Loire, Champagne, and Bordeaux. When I left Australia, I was particularly attached to Shiraz, and therefore expected that Rhône might be the most interesting wines. And maybe I haven't given them a fair go - trying perhaps only half a dozen, with little expert advice. I've tried at least a couple of dozen different Bordeaux wines, and I've taken to them. Wayne McCarthy at the Avant Garde cave in Margaux has provided some excellent advice (supplying us a dozen by post), and I'm afraid I'll miss these ones when we get back to the Great Southern Land. I had initially thought I might describe the wines as I tasted them, but given the likelihood of pieces of paper going astray, and the possibility that I'll enjoy the wines too much to write about them while I can remember the details, I thought it might be worth writing down here.

• Ch. Tour Haut-Cassan (Médoc) 2001 (€16)
• Ch. Penin "Les Cailloux" (Bordeaux Superieur) 2005 (€12.50)
• Ch Citran 2004 (Haut-Médoc) 2004 (€13,40) I shared this with some people at work on my last "Rumour: Wednesday Pub Lunch" at the Winterbourne Arms. Smooth.
• Ch Haut-Bergeron (Sauternes) 2002 (€24)
• Ch. Charmail (Haut-Médoc) 2004 (€16)
• Ch. Poujeaux (Moulis) 2004 (€20.50)
• Ch. Deyrem Valentin (Margaux) 2002 (€16)
• Ch. Des Graviers (Margaux) 2004 (€13.40)
• Ch. Moutte Blanc (Bordeaux Superieur) 2002 (€8.70)
• Clos de Bigos (Margaux) 2005 (€16.90)
• Ch. Potensac (Cru Bourgeouis Exceptionnel, Médoc) 2004 (€16.50)
• Ch. La Galiane (Margaux) 2003 (€13.20)

Tonight, we're indulging in the Château Potensac, and finding it particularly delicious. It's very well balanced, fruity and smooth, with lengthy tannins. It doesn't have the syrupy/jammy tastes that I remember (perhaps inaccurately) from some of my favourite Australian wines - like a Peter Lehmann Stockwell, or a Leasingham Classic Clare Shiraz. But the complexity is there.

We've packed a few wines (within our duty free limit) to take back home. But not as many as I feel would do justice to Bordeaux.

So has my palette changed? Or will I find when I get back to Australia that I really do like those big Barossa shiraz wines (e.g. Rockford Basket Press, Wolf Blass Grey Label) more than these French ones? Time will tell!