OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed
Chateau Bellevue 2005 13.5% alcohol about $19

Let’s start by quoting the marketing materials. Description: Chateau Bellevue lies just outside of Saint-Michel de Fronsac in the heart of the Right Bank. Olivier Decelle purchased the estate in 2000 and his commitment to quality is plain to see, investing heavily in the vineyard and winery as well as introducing biodynamic methods of viticulture. Well structured, with ripe tannins, and beautiful ripe, red fruit, this wine is clearly part of the new wave of classically made, affordable Bordeaux coming out of minor appellations. And now for my review.

At the first sips the wine was powerful and mouth filling, well balanced, and very slightly sweet. The first pairing was with barbecued beef ribs, potatoes roasted in chicken fat, and broccoli and cauliflower in tomato sauce with basil, onion, cumin, and garlic. With the meat, this Bordeaux blend was round and presented a fine balance between its acidity and tannins. It was subtle. It washed the potatoes’ grease away. The veggies brought out the wine’s black cherries and its darkness.

The next meal consisted of chicken legs, chickpeas, and potatoes in broth with some tomato and onion. This was an old French-style bouillon meal although I’m not sure how much they knew about chickpeas then and there. The Cab was quite long and tasted of dark grapes mixed with tobacco.

My final meal was a boxed Eggplant Parmiagana slathered with grated Parmesan cheese. The wine was long and mouth filling; the dominant tastes were tobacco and menthol.

I finished this tasting bottle with two local cheeses. When paired with an Emmenthaler (Swiss) the wine was mouth filling and dark, but its tannins were of the melt-in-your mouth variety. It had great balance. With an Asiago cheese the wine was weaker than in the previous pairing but it was still fine.

Final verdict. I would buy this wine again. I definitely was worth the price, ever more so if you are looking for a biodynamic wine. I think both the producer and the region are worth watching.

Author: Levi Reiss
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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The wine merchants of Bordeaux, France tend to be from wine makers of centuries of tradition. The area of Bordeaux has been making wine since 71 AD! This means that most of the wine merchants in the area have had age-old wine techniques handed down from years long past. Keep this in mind when you are touring the wine region of Bordeaux. Ask the merchants questions and honor their historical pride, this will put you in their favor.

The second thing to remember about the wine merchants of Bordeaux, France is that the area is relatively small. One can assume, then, that the wine merchants are quite familiar with one another. Whether they are rivals or friends, the wine merchants of Bordeaux certainly have respect for one another, as they have been preserving age-old traditions alongside each other for centuries. This will come in handy when you are looking for recommendations for wine merchants. Dont be afraid to ask questions about other merchants in the area to get a good feel for all Bordeaux has to offer.

Our final tip regarding the wine merchants of Bordeaux, France is to remember that they certainly know their stuff. Bordeaux wine is some of the most famous wine in the world. The worlds largest wine expo, Vinexpo, is held there every year. Take advantage of all these wine merchants have to offer. Learn as much as you can while youre in the area and dont forget to take home as much wine as will fit in your suitcase!

Author: Sarah Freeland
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Digital Camera Times