There was once a character, in Al Capp’s Li'l Abner comic strip, named Joe Btfsplk, who went through life with a black cloud over his head and was the true child of misfortune; wherever he went, bad luck followed. We believe after the strip was discontinued in 1979, Joe went to live in the Bordeaux region of France, because misfortune has befallen that region seemingly year after year.
A report released recently announced the Bordeaux harvest will be about two weeks late and will be the lowest production since 1991. This year’s problems began with a cold start to the growing season, which prevented the pollination of the grape flowers. This was followed by a host of hail storms and very hot and damp weather conditions during the summer, all of which took a toll on the grapes. The only saving grace was a period of good weather just before harvest time, but it did little to help as the damage had already been done.
It looks like Joe Btfsplk is alive, still active and living in Bordeaux. If you enjoy the Bordeaux wines, better stock up now, because there will be a shortage as soon as the current vintages are gone and prices will probably rise.
One of the old standbys of the Bordeaux region that does not sell in the megabuck category is Baron Philippe de Rothschild’s Mouton Cadet. This is the same Baron Philippe that produces one of the most famous, expensive and sought-after wines in the world, Chateau Mouton Rothschild.
Mouton Cadet is not simply a cheap knockoff that bases its existence on a famous name. It is a wine, crafted by the winemakers of Chateau Mouton Rothschild, that has been made to sell at a reasonable price while still showcasing the winemaking style of Bordeaux. It is a wine that admirably performs its specific duty - to act as an ambassador for the wines of Bordeaux. For 70 years, except for the hiatus during World War II, the wines have done just that.
Baron Philippe De Rothschild 2011 Mouton Cadet Rouge ($10)The regal elegance of this wine is highlighted by its deep ruby color and floral, fruity aroma which is derived from its time-honored makeup of 60 percent merlot, 20 percent cabernet sauvignon and 15 percent cabernet franc. It's a formula for success that has not changed in years.
The Merlot imparts the aromas of cherries and raspberries. The cabernet sav adds body and depth, as well as the aroma of blackberries, while the cabernet franc contributes softness and a velvet smoothness. The flavor is characterized by a melding of blackberry, cherry, raspberry and blueberry flavors that carry over to the finish, where they reside on the palate for a long time.
This is a wine that lives up to its regal name and does credit to its makers.
Baron Philippe De Rothschild 2012 Mouton Cadet Blanc ($10)This wine is slightly different from most of the wines of Bordeaux, in that on the label is the name of the grape variety used to make this wine - sauvignon blanc. Most of the other Bordeaux wines display only the name of the maker and trust that the customer knows what he is buying.
This wine displays a golden straw color and a great clarity. The aroma is a compendium of all of the possible citrus flavors with a suggestion of tropical fruits in the background. The flavor accents tropical fruits, papaya and mango, fresh apricot and citrus. These all carry over to the finish, which is rather long for a wine in this price category.
Summing up, the Baron Philippe De Rothschild 2012 Mouton Cadet Blanc is very French, very Bordeaux and very much unlike our California versions of this variety.
Nixa resident Bennet Bodenstein is a wine columnist and manages ArticlesOnWine.com. He can be reached at frojhe1@att.net.
