I have said it numerous times before and I will say it many more in the future, but Bordeaux is my original love of wine.  It is the first region I truly understood and could have a real appreciation for.  I have been spoiled by having visited there and having the chance to taste some of the most prestigious wines, yet I can still appreciate the everyday wines as well.  I love how you can buy a $20 bottle and age it for 10-15 years and it only seems to get better.  I just bought a condo, and I am going to be converting a closet into a wine cellar and plan on finding a couple great value Bordeaux that I can buy by the case and let age and drink over the following 10 years or so.  I just love seeing how a wine develops and changes over the years.

Today I have a good contender for one of the wines I would consider buying a case of to age, the Le Lion de La Fleur de Bouard 2020.  This is actually the third wine of Chateau La Fleur de Bouard.  It is a Chateau on the right bank of Bordeaux located in Lalande de Pomerol.  These wines are primarily Merlot, and I would usually say to age a wine that is primarily Cabernet Sauvignon, yet I feel this wine could still hold up to the aging. 

It is 80% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 4% Petit Verdot.  The nose features notes of dark fruits, with baked pie and soft touches of oak and vanilla.  There are also some very nice rustic notes like tar and pencil shavings.  The palate comes through with chocolate and mocha alongside big blackberry flavors.  The tannins are big and robust and lead to a lengthy finish.  I feel like right now, this wine would appease not only a Bordeaux fan, but a California Cabernet drinker as well.  I got many similarities to a young California wine, but with the tannin structure and rich flavors, this Bordeaux will age much more gracefully and for a longer time than its California counterparts.

Everyone's favorite 90+ wine critic James Suckling agrees with me as well.  He gave this a 95-point rating!  He says, "Lots of blueberry and blackberry character with firm, chewy tannins and a flavorful finish. It’s full-bodied and very polished. Plenty of tar and dark fruit."

At only $21.99, this is the perfect wine to buy a few bottles and set aside for years to come.  It is still young.  I usually prefer at least 5 or 6 years of age on my Bordeaux, which makes this the perfect wine to grab now and drink later.  It is so much fun to open a wine 10, 15, 20 years later.  And who knows, maybe this will help you remember the year 2020? Or drink a bottle and forget about it?

Either way, it's well worth the $20 now or as an investment.  So, grab some now!

Le Lion de La Fleur de Bouard 2020

-Patrick Mulrooney