Chateau David, Bordeaux Superieur 2010, Sainsbury's £ 6.49
It hasn't occured to me to review wine here before. Had there been such a thing as my website in the 1990's then perhaps I'd have done it then, concerned as I was with the spicy redolence of the superstar, Fetzer Zinfandel, or the long finish of an Haut Medoc. It was Pauillac that I regarded as a special treat in those days and I only drop these few names to show that I did once know my way around France in terms of red wine and knew when to say 'cherry', 'blackcurrant' or 'top notes of creosote'.
I don't bother with that so much anymore. It's more, Chilean Merlot @ £ 3.99, a means to an end.
But I still have the bottle, now empty of course, of Vida Nova 2001, 'from the vineyards of Sir Cliff Richard' which I was grateful to my sister for finding for me then. It might be 11 years ago now but I seem to recall it being enjoyable in an appropriately middle of the road sort of way.
Alors, today, I selected a bottle of Chateau David. Anybody would, wouldn't they, if a bottle of wine had their name on it. And what of it, then.
It's not immediately fascinating but I'm only on the second glass. It is sometimes preferable to get to the bottom of a bottle before one finds oneself more in the mood to congratulate its producer, to have the wine become more a part of you, to live more within it.
It is Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Franc and I'd think the Sauvignon was the major party in this coalition. The dry depth is there more than anything too flirtily fruity. I can't say I'm getting much of the vanilla the label is telling me to appreciate. Perhaps it will benefit from laying down. I know I often do.
Neither can I say that at this price, which isn't exorbitant I must admit, it is doing a great deal more than the bog standard Chilean Merlot. I think Fetzer is still available in a number of places and for seven quid, you'd be better off with that. I like to support the Old Country in wine when I can but it has long been recognized that in this price bracket they aren't very competitive any more.
I'll be glad to come back and correct my first impressions if the experience improves but I'm afraid this bottle is so far seeming a bit like its namesake, living on past glories and unconvincing, not as good as it would like to claim to be.