“Sleeper of the Vintage”
Ninety-Three points is that threshold where things get serious, where a merely good wine becomes great – or at least something very special. It’s also where we generally find wines in the $30 and up range. Case in point, most of my favorite Castillon, Pomerol and Petite Chateaux in better vintages are reviewed at 93 points (sometimes higher) and START at $30 – Montlandrie and L’Enclos, for example. To better make my point, certain Fifth Growth Bordeaux – I’m thinking about Lafite’s Clerc Milon – average 93 points in some vintages and will set you back closer to $80! But 93 points – as the professional critics will tell you – is 93 points. It doesn’t matter if you’re looking at a $100 bottle of wine or an $18 bottle of wine. Ninety-Three points conveys a message. Think of it in college or high school paper terms and it becomes crystal clear. And when you’re paying less than $18 for a wine that scores the same as one costing $80, $90 or even higher, you know you’ve found something special! A real no-brainer worth stocking up on.
Our no-brainer wine this week is Chateau Cap de Faugeres from Castillon. You’ve read a lot about Castillon in these pages – the land of giants – as I consider it prime hunting ground for incredible values. With Saint Emilion along its southwestern border and the Dordogne River running along its southeastern, Castillon is home to some of the greatest winemakers of our generation. What’s more, with land values still down to earth, consumers have been flocking to the cellars of these producers over the past decade for value priced Bordeaux of incredible quality. Cap de Faugeres is no exception. Stephan von Neipperg runs the show here (as well as at Canon la Gaffeliere), producing lush, plush, forward and very modern styled wines which critics and consumers alike can’t get enough of. And 2015 was one of his top wines in a string of fabulous successes.
2015 Chateau Cap de Faugeres Castillon Cotes de Bordeaux
Attractive and neatly focused raspberries and red plums with a very supple, polished and succulent palate that delivers plenty of flavor in a refreshing, sturdy frame. This offers plenty. Drink or hold.
(93) points – James Suckling
MSRP: $25
Every Day Low Price: $17.98 (no limit)