Bordeaux doesn't end with the Medoc

Hi Wine Lovers!

The "right bank" wines that we tasted were exceptional. I hadn't explored the wines of Fronsac and Cotes de Castillion prior to this evening and am looking for more of these bargains. Both the Richelieu Favorite $28 and the Chateau La Vielle Cure $32 from Fronsac were drinking very well today and will be capable of being cellared for many years to come. The 2005 Chateau d'Aiguilhe ($35) is a legitimate 92 point wine that will impress wine lovers for years to come. It is remarkable that this wine was drinking so well today. It probably has something to do with it being 80% merlot.

The Hospitalite Gazin was my favorite wine. This Pomerol wine took a very long time to"open up". Chris and I decanted the wine about noon on Saturday and this was tasted about 10 hours later. Once it did open up, it was magnificent. This is a wine that Robert Parker anticipates maturing between 2015 and 2028. It ain't cheap at $54 per bottle, but you aren't likely to get a wine that tastes this complex short of a premier Grand Cru wine. This is the second label of Gazin and was every bit as good as the Gazin. Sometimes the second label of a well known producer is a much better value than the first label. I tend to buy more "second labels" in great vintages (like 1982 and 2005) than their more prestigious first label. The Potensac is made by the producers of Leoville-Las Cases.