It’s September so it must be the SuperValu French Wine Sale in Ireland. This year the Sale runs from Thursday 2nd to Wednesday 22nd September and applies to over 80 wines, including those from producers such as André Goichot and Guy Saget that I have reviewed previously. In addition to reductions on existing listings there will be a number of “guest wines” sourced via Irish importer / distributor Febvre that are available solely during the sale period.
This article will focus on the four red Bordeaux wines included in the Sale. All four are from the De Mour group, so first a little background on De Mour, then the wines themselves followed by my pick(s) of the bunch.
De Mour
The above logo actually tells us a lot about the De Mour group. Firstly, it is wholly owned by the De Schepper family who founded it in Ghent (Belgium) back in 1938. Secondly, there are essentially two sides to the De Mour business, a negociant side and their own châteaux.
Emile De Schepper and Ghislaine de Moor started a business producing local gins and liqueurs, but after a decade they began to take a serious interest in quality French wines. Historically, the right bank of Bordeaux has had close ties to Belgium and The Netherlands (with the left bank being linked to Britain), so it made sense for their first investment to be Château Tour Baladoz in Saint Emilion.
Over the years the family expanded their own holdings and contracts with Bordelais growers whose grapes they would vinify and bottle under their own labels. The aim is to produce high quality wines that are also approachable and attainable (i.e. affordable).
The De Mour properties are:
- Château Haut Breton Larigaudière (Margaux)
- Château La Croizille (Saint-Emilion Grand Cru)
- Château Lacombe Cadiot (Bordeaux Supérieur)
- Château Tayet (Bordeaux Supérieur)
- Château Tour Baladoz (Saint-Emilion Grand Cru)
The negociant business boasts over 65 different wines from across the Bordeaux area, though nearly all dry reds.
Château Moulin Lafitte Bordeaux 2016
This is a standalone Château but does not belong to the De Mour group; rather it belongs to friends of theirs who call on the heft of the De Mour Group for sales and distribution. The Château is located in the Entre Deux Mers region – between the Dordogne and Garonne rivers – though cannot (as yet, watch this space) use that appellation as it currently applies only to white wines.
The vineyards are south facing and the vines are predominantly Merlot as you’d expect; the blend for this wine is 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc. Despite the very good vintage (2016) and preponderance of Merlot, this wine has a modest (by modern standards) alcohol of 13.0%. To me this indicates that the goal was balance rather than super-ripe fruit.
In the glass the wine has a bright ruby core with a rim that is turning to garnet. The nose has a combination of fruit and tertiary aromas – there’s earth and leather but also fresh and poached plums and a twist of spice. Lifted aromas give a little funk without a full-on stink. The palate is round and smooth with those plums to the fore, plus tinned strawberries and the earthiness in the background. Acidity and tannins are present and correct but well integrated.
This is a classic-style claret with quite a bit of development already under its belt. This would pair well with game such as wild boar, lamb or a sharp cheddar.
- ABV: 13.0%
- RRP: €12.70 down from €18.99 from Thurs 2nd Sept to Wed 22nd Sept 2021
- Source: sample
- Stockists: SuperValu stores and SuperValu.ie
Château Lacombe Cadiot Bordeaux Supérieur 2019
Château Lacombe Cadiot is unusual among “mere” Bordeaux Supérieurs in that it is located on the Médoc peninsula (though it does actually share that status with stablemate Château Tayet). Its home commune of Ludon Médoc is home to more famous estates such as Château La Lagune and Château d’Agassac. The Château’s vineyards are planted in the proportion 60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Petit Verdot – the precise blend in the final wine will fluctuate a little from year to year.
The Château was bought by De Mour in 1982 and has been an important part of their portfolio ever since. This is a modern style of Bordeaux, not lean and green, but rather more of a generous and ripe nature. In the glass the wine is dark ruby with a purple rim – no surprises there. But the nose – what a nose! I immediately looked around for an Ambassador as there were such intense aromas of Ferrero Rocher! Blackcurrant and pencil shavings completed the olfactory picture.
The palate shows voluptuous black fruits and violets, smooth yet with tannins arriving in a rush at the end. I did find some hints of unripe green notes in there – perhaps another year or two would integrate them nicely. In the meantime I would serve this wine with a medium rare entrecôt!
- ABV: 14.0%
- RRP: €10.70 down from €15.99 from Thurs 2nd Sept to Wed 22nd Sept 2021
- Source: sample
- Stockists: SuperValu stores and SuperValu.ie
Château Tour Baladoz Saint Emilion Grand Cru 2018
Château Tour Baladoz is surrounded by Grand Cru Classé vineyards, so they have finally bitten the bullet and submitted their dosier for potential inclusion from 2022 onwards. The Château was bought by De Mour back in 1950 so is their longest-held property. The vines cover ten hectares on slopes that range from 110 down to 45 metres above sea level – a significant gradient. The current encépagement is 70% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot, though additional plantings of Petit Verdot, Carmenère and Malbec were made in 2019 (I imagine as a response to climate change).
This 2018 is still a baby – that much is obvious from simply pouring it into a glass where there are still purple tints on the rim. The nose is wonderfully perfumed, though somewhat restrained. The palate is classy, with toasty oak and vanilla notes overlaying plush plum and cassis fruit. The texture is soft, yet powerful, and velvety. This is a real treat of a wine that is enjoyable now and for the next decade or so.
- ABV: 14.5%
- RRP: €30.00 down from €44.99 from Thurs 2nd Sept to Wed 22nd Sept 2021
- Source: sample
- Stockists: SuperValu stores and SuperValu.ie
Lady de Mour Margaux 2018
Finally we come to De Mour’s namesake wine, albeit a wine made from bought-in rather than owned grapes. Among the four poshest AOCs of the Médoc, Margaux is renowned for the elegance of its wines, partially due to a lower proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon compared to Saint Estèphe, Saint Julien and Pauillac.
However, compared to some Margaux the Lady de Mour has a high proportion of Cab Sauv: 63%, with 31% Merlot and 6% Petit Verdot.* Precisely when to pick is a very important decision – too early and green, vegetal notes creep in – too late and acidity is too low and the wine becomes jammy.
In the glass the wine is dark, though not quite opaque, with a bright purple rim. On the nose it is fabulously aromatic, full of dark fruit and graphite notes; plum cassis and spice. These notes continue through onto the palate, joined by violets. The texture is supreme – I don’t know if it’s silk or velvet, but it’s just so pleasing. Although the alcohol is on the low side for a Margaux – 12’5% – this wine does not feel thin or lacking at all, just very well balanced.
- ABV: 12.5%
- RRP: €24.75 down from €36.99 from Thurs 2nd Sept to Wed 22nd Sept 2021
- Source: sample
- Stockists: SuperValu stores and SuperValu.ie
Conclusion
I think it’s fair to group this quartet into two pairs, two “weekday wines” and two “weekend wines”. For me the Moulin Lafitte is the more interesting of the junior pair right now, so that would be my choice for drinking this year; the Lacombe Cadiot would be worth buying several of for laying down and breaking out for Xmas 2024.
I did really enjoy the Tour Baladoz, but the aromatics of the Lady de Mour carried the day for me, and that’s the one I will be buying for myself!
* My guess when I tried the same vintage of this wine in November last year was 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc – not too far off I reckon