Every year, Costco offers a four pack of current vintage Bordeaux receiving 90+ points from respected publications for $29.99. If you haven’t taken advantage of these, you’ll be surprised at what less than $8 a bottle buys!

When we saw the Bordeaux package, we immediately put one in the cart. We should go back and get a few more. This is about as cheap as Bordeaux futures and the wine is as good as anything I’ve paid that kind of money for in past futures purchases. So for comparison to last year’s offering, I decided to attempt a bit of an “apples to apples” tasting of a selection from Costco 2019 vs Costco 2020.* What I found was actually a three vintage set vertical. Chateau De Lyde and Chateau Baracan are not the same property but they are very close to each other and grown, produced and bottled at the same facility, Gontrier Frères. All three were rated 91 points by the Wine Enthusiast. 2018 Chateau De Lyde (70% Merlot / 30% Cabernet Sauvignon) Cadillac Côtes de Bordeaux AOC, Bordeaux FRANCE (14% abv) $7.50 has a very deep black red color and a welcoming smell of its origin. The black fruit, tobacco and rich texture grips the palate. After airing for an hour, it gained complexity and added length to the finish. 17/20 2019 Chateau Baracan (40% Merlot / 40% Cabernet Sauvignon / 15% Cabernet Franc / 5% Petit Verdot) Cadillac Côtes de Bordeaux AOC, Bordeaux FRANCE (14%abv) $7.50 possesses the same rich color with remarkably bright fresh youthful red fruit in the nose and seems more than one year younger than the 2018. Texture is similar. The 55% Cabernets doesn’t dominate or stand out from the Merlot dominated De Lyde. The palate is maturing with a complex finish much richer and lasts longer than the 2018 De Lyde. As is airs, the nose closed up a bit but it stayed fatter in the finish with richer tannin. 17+/20 This brings us to the 2020 Chateau De Lyde (70% Merlot / 30% Cabernet Sauvignon) Cadillac Côtes de Bordeaux AOC, Bordeaux FRANCE (13.5% abv) $7.50 has a touch more red in the color and is even fresher. The palate is more like plums with a softer more supple texture. It is not as meaty as the 2019 nor as tannic or as long as the 2018. As it airs, the fruit seems even fresher and more vibrant and the finish seems even more supple. 16+/20

So, all would get a solid SILVER on my score sheet. More than anything else, what they have in common is the extent to which they stay true to the Bordeaux terroir. I have no real sense whether any of these are age worthy. I would guess that by age 8-10 they will be fully mature and at their most complex yet still showing good vitality.

The real gem of our last trip to Costco is the CASE SALE. This is a wine that I’ve purchased many times over the past several years and always have enjoyed but for whatever reason never bought more than a bottle or two at a time. It has always seemed right on the verge of “desert island” stuff with its freshness and ethereal complex nuance. Let me tell you, the current offering of 2021 Casa Santos Lima Red Blend Vinho Regional Lisboa PORTUGAL (13.5% abv) $59.99 per case of 12 at Costco at $5 a bottle qualifies. When I first opened this bottle two days ago, my opinion was that, as always, it was a dandy fresh engaging wine but not quite complex enough to enjoy daily. On the second day, it developed that indescribably elusive level of spice, wood, herbal garrigue bitterness just haunting one’s taste buds and suggesting a need for a deeper dive. Every sip possesses that allure while every swallow suggests another sip to get a clearer picture. All this for $5!!! On day three, the texture was beautifully developed as was the inviting fruit on the nose, but, the magical elusive bouquet seemed to be gone. To my amazement, it had landed squarely on the palate! So, I’ll be sure to open it a day ahead and enjoy the thrill while it lasts and wherever it shows up.

Enjoy in Good Health

A Brian Cain, the Michigan Vintner

*For more notes on the 2018/2019 Costco Bordeaux four packs see “More Bargains 2022/2023” and scroll down to “Tasted December 28, 2022. ABC