WINE OF THE WEEK:
Chateau Bois Pertuis boasts good breeding at bargain price
Twelve miles north of the historic medieval village of Saint Emilion, France, is a gorgeous 17th century chateau named Bois Pertuis. It is the outermost outpost of the Bordeaux region, but with a winemaking tradition that dates back 2,000 years under the Romans. Accounts tell of great wines being made here back then and it remains true today.
Vineyard magnate Bernard Magrez, whose holdings encompass 21 properties in the Bordeaux region, including legendary Chateau Pape-Clement, and 11 other properties throughout the world, is the man behind this little superstar of a wine.
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As with all of his properties, everything is done by hand with the help of oenologist consultant Michel Rolland. They make a fabulously rich and concentrated wine from poor soil that is made for winegrowing. The result speaks for itself, and you are going to experience a revelation for a Bordeaux wine for less than $20, which is fully on par with much more expensive wines from any region.
In the glass, Chateau Bois Pertuis is a deeply opaque blackish-red color with a dense core going out into a saturated pinkish-red rim definition with medium-high viscosity.
On the nose, the wine offers a plethora of crushed black fruits, attractive notes of black cherries, blueberries, cassis, loganberries, incredible minty-freshness, oak references, phenols and sweet licorice.
On the palate, there is more wonderful black fruit character coming through with layers of juicy black cherries, black currants, huckleberries, crushed elderberry fruit, and underlying oak references and lacy minerals. The midpalate is fine and balanced with lots of structure, and the tannins are kept in check through the finish, which is again rich in black fruits and even a touch of spiciness. Superb lingering sensations abound on the palate with pure blackberry juice for more than 30 seconds.
Chateau Bois Pertuis is a great value, and has the ability to age for at least seven to 10 years. Try it with a roast rack of Colorado lamb with its traditional accouterments.
