Le Grand Chai Bordeaux 2016

This is a velvety, plum rich claret from the team at Le Chai au Quai, a cellar beautifully situated on the river in Castillon. Chief winemaker there is Haut-Brion trained Jean-Marc Sauboua, a Bordelais with a brilliant network of contacts. For this wine he used three parcels of fine Merlot grapes from the superior Côtes de Bourg vineyards. So this wine may have standard ‘Bordeaux’ on the label, but in reality it’s anything but. Crafted at Le Chai, with nine months’ ageing in oak barrels, the wine has smooth, ripe cherry and plum flavours with a creamy roundness. Below that are firm tannins for ageing. A versatile claret – serve with a pork casserole or roast chicken.