Finds from the Vine

Jarrett Osborn
July 23, 2008

“2005 is the Bordeaux vintage of a lifetime!” God bless the Bordeaux P.R. Machine, but we hear this proclamation every few years, most recently in 2003 and 2000. Used to pumped-up prices and demand, bombastic statements like that merely insinuate 2005 will go down as a great vintage at ludicrous prices.

To get a Find from the Vine, let us jump to a lesser-known estate from the Right Bank, where merlot and cabernet franc rule, not cabernet sauvignon. The 2005 Ch. Teyssier is a blend of 75 percent merlot and 25 percent cabernet franc, aged in French oak barrels for 12 months. (Curiously, the bottle label claims 85 percent merlot and 15 percent cab. franc, yet press material claims it’s 70 percent merlot and 30 percent percent cab. franc.) For this area, a great year means the merlot ripens completely, thus the resulting wine has dark berry flavors to go with the herbal merlot touch. Blackberry, green tea, and cedar marry with the dark oak flavors, and medium tannins and a hint of acidity on the finish show the wine will age well for 10 years. The cab. franc contributes a bit of cigar and tobacco flavors, and add to the chewy tannins on the finish. Allow this wine to open up and breathe for 30 minutes before serving, the aromas and flavors round out nicely with just this hint of air.

SCEA du Chateau Teyssier purchased this property in 1994, and completely refurbished the winery and vineyards. Along with more recent vineyard acquisitions, winemaker Jonathan Maltus can now produce just over 10,000 cases of wine each vintage. The 2005 Ch. Teyssier is $32, a bargain for a St.-Emilion of such high quality from the 2005 vintage.

Finally, a note on merlot and cab franc. Miles, from the pinot noir movie “Sideways”, hates merlot, I won't quote him in this article. He also dismisses cab franc, stating the grape makes average but boring wine. Miles' favorite wine, that he drinks under the table at a fast food joint near the end of the movie? Ch. Cheval Blanc, a blend of merlot and cabernet franc, from the St.-Emilion region. Funny.

— Jarrett Osborn
Riverwalk Wine & Spirits