The Irish wine specialist chain O’Briens have their French Wine Sale running from 27th April to 24th May, all with a reduction of at least 20%. Part 1 looked at three inexpensive red Bordeaux wines that really punch above their price point. This post now has a more upmarket trio, at higher price points, but still delivering quality, typicity and value for money.

Château Franc-Maillet Pomerol 2020

Part 1 of our journey finished in the Graves, and now we pop across to the right bank, where Merlot is king. Pomerol is much smaller than the more celebrated Saint-Emilion, and doesn’t have the layers of classification, but does just fine without them. After all, if Pétrus doesn’t need to be called PremierSuperGrandCruClasséAA1+ then who does?

Franc-Maillet’s vineyards actually border those of Pétrus, though its soils are not quite as intensively clay. The vines are nearly all Merlot (95%) with just a little Cab Franc (5%), typical of the appellation.

Pomerol wines have a reputation for power and intensity, which F-M lives up to, but it also has complexity and subtlety. Big ripe plums are complemented by lighter raspberry notes. Black cherries also have red counterparts. Vanillin aspects are entwined with smoke and spice.

This isn’t a blockbuster wine, but given time in the glass it will take you on a vinous journey.

• ABV: 14.0%
• RRP: €43.99 on promotion
• Source: O’Briens stores and obrienswine.ie

Château de Fieuzal Pessac-Léognan Rouge 2020

If the Graves Rouge in Part 1 was deserving of praise more akin to that of a Pessac-Léognan, then here we have the real McCoy, a Grand Cru Classé de Graves in fact. The estate has long been held in high regard, with a history stretching back to the 1600s. In the first year of this century it was bought by Irish businessman and philanthropist Lochlann Quinn. Presumably he is also something of a wine lover!

Fieuzal makes four wines; both red and white Grands Vins then a second wine of each colour with the label L’Abeille de Fieuzal. Somewhat unusually for the left bank, the second wine tends to have a little more Cabernet Sauvignon than the Grand Vin.

When I revealed this wine as the finale to a Bordeaux tasting at my wine club, there was initially a little disappointment that I hadn’t picked a Saint-Emilion. However, given the blend this Château Fieuzal is probably closer to a right bank wine in style than that of a Haut-Médoc: it consists of 65% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot.

And so it proves in the glass; the Merlot dominance gives both red and black fruit notes, with signature ripe plum aspects. There’s a velvet smoothness here, but not overt opulence, as a streak of freshness keeps everything nicely balanced.

• ABV: 14.0%
• RRP: €55 on promotion
• Source: O’Briens stores and obrienswine.ie

Château Kirwan Margaux 3ème Grand Cru Classé 2019

Back to the Médoc again, but this time the celebrated commune and appellation of Margaux. Not Château Margaux itself, but another estate that was ranked in the 1855 Classification – and with a fine Irish name to boot. Its name comes from the founder Mark Kirwan, one of the “Tribes of Galway” who moved to Bordeaux in the late 18th century.

Château Kirwan has 38 hectares (94 acres) of vineyards, planted to 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, 7% Petit Verdot and 2% Chardonnay, plus a tiny bit of newly planted Carménère. The small amount of Chardonnay certainly catches the eye. Kirwan has 1.1 hectares planted with 10,000 Chardonnay vines with the aim of producing a different type of white wine than normal in Bordeaux. As the variety is not permitted under AOC rules, it is bottled as a simple Vin de France; with the plots being located outside the Margaux AOC the vines are not reducing the estate’s potential Cru Classé production.

There are two red wines – Château Kirwan and a second wine Charmes de Kirwan. The precise blend of the Grand Vin fluctuates somewhat depending on the vintage, but is nearly always a little more than half Cab Sauv with support from Merlot and then the other grapes. The assemblage of the Charmes changes much more significantly from year to year. It tends to have a decent majority of Merlot, but in recent years that has been as high as 98% (2022) and as low as 32% (2019 – which had a stonking 58% Of CS).

The 2019 vintage of Château Kirwan consists of 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 6% Petit verdot and 1% of the new Carménère. The grapes were harvested between 23rd September and 11th October. After fermentation the wines were matured in a 50:50 mix of new and one year old French oak.

Unsurprisingly with almost three fifths Cabernet Sauvignon, black fruits dominate the nose, escorted by fine smoke and cedarwood notes. The palate is all about restrained power, with ripe blackcurrant and blackberry accompanied by plums, all set against a fine tannin structure.

This wine isn’t at its peak yet – and has decades ahead of it – but is already drinking well. It’s a real treat, especially at the offer price.

• ABV: 13.5%
• RRP: €72 on promotion
• Source: O’Briens stores and obrienswine.ie

Conclusion

Although these are all premium wines, even at promotional prices there is a considerable price difference between the tree. I think they represent similar levels of value for money, so you get what you pay for. In the end it comes down to the subregion and style that you prefer – and as I’m a fan of well made Cabernet Sauvignon it has to be the Kirwan for me!