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Bordeaux: Pauillac

Home of the big boys, or at least to three of the five first growths, is a region steeped in history and almost undeserved sense of entitlement. Almost. If it weren't for the almost automatic production of world class Bordeaux year in and year out, even in vintages that would destroy other wineries, then it might be unwarranted.

Lafite, Latour, and Mouton Rothschild lead the pack in name, price, and oftentimes quality, though there are other "lesser" chateaux that nip at their heels and regularly supplant them in critic's lists. Of the nippers you should look for offerings from Lynch-Bages. Pichon lalande, Ch. D'Armailhac, and Pontet-Canet. Also keep in mind the second labels for each of these wineries, which offer some of the best bang for the buck in Bordeaux.

Why the number of great wines in this particular stretch of the Medoc? Notice that the soil here is rockier than that of St. Estephe, its northern neighbor. This gravelly soil allows for faster drainage (deeper roots) and greater heat retention (longer time the vine spends above 80 degrees and therefore in its production range.) those deeper roots have a lot to do with the vines vigor, it's ability to weather the storms that plague a vine such as drought, flood, too much or too little in the way nutrients, etc those deep roots also encourage the vine to really "work" for it's fruit, producing lower yields fruit-wise, but more concentrated berries thus more enigmatic wine.

You will find in this region that almost all of the wineries from large to small are huddled against the shore and along any one of the canals/rivers within its borders. The closer to the river, the better the drainage, and the deeper the roots, the healthier the vine, the better the fruit and so on.

Some names outside the obvious big three already mentioned are: Duhart-Milon, Clerc-Milon, Ch. Batailley, Croizet-Bages, and Grand-Puy Lacoste.

Learn more about this author, M.L. Brooke.
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