There will be some Bordeaux wine enthusiasts who may not even have heard of the AOCs of Listrac and Moulis. For years these poorer relations of the superstars of the Médoc, like Pauillac and Margaux, could not compete. The prices the wines commanded didn’t justify huge investment in the winemaking, so they produced good, yet rarely mind blowing wines. But that’s all changing.
Not only are quality conscious owners taking charge, the price of vineyard and cellar equipment making a huge difference elsewhere has come down so much that it works out in the accounts to get some on board. Most notably the optical grape selectors.
These amazing machines were originally invented for the pea industry of all places. As the grapes or peas pass along the selection belt, each is subject to an infrared scanner with a set of size and colour criteria. If they fail the test a tiny pneumatic jet of air pumps out and fires the rejected fruit into the bin. It’s like a space age version of Willy Wonka and his nut squirrels.
The result being is that the grapes that make the fermenting vats that go on to produce the final wine are all above spec to make a good wine. And no where has the uptick in cellar management at harvest been felt more keenly than the AOCs of Listrac and Moulis.
So next time you see a Fourcas Dupré or a Maucaillou up on sale, treat yourself to some of the best value left on the Bordeaux’s famed left bank.
Cheers
For further info on the Vins Du Medoc, please visit their website by clicking here.
To enquire about buying Crus Bourgeois wines, get in touch with the team at 20h33