I'm always a fan of trying wines grown right beside well renowned estates and regions. Les Salles de Castillon lies in the far right bank of Bordeaux, adjacent to St Emilion. Here's a map that will give you an idea where we're talking. Buying in these areas that are close, but not close enough for a certain designation, are generally excellent values as they share similar terroir with their more highly acclaimed neighbors.
So I'm always on the lookout for these types of wines, while at the same time super interested in all of these sub $20 Bordeaux that Costco keeps bringing in. We're sitting at about a 90%+ success rate for these wines, many of which are just stunning for the price.
Maybe we should bump that up a bit, because this bottle was only $9.99 and it tastes like a much higher end St Emilion that should cost a whole lot more.
It is blended from 92% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Malbec, which is fun for a change from the frequent Cab Sauv- dominated bottles we've been tasting lately. Merlot in Bordeaux is unlike Merlot from anywhere else, and it's apparent here. This wine pours dark; you can't see through it at all. A bit of smoke and campfire on the nose; super dry, black cherry fruit, a little blackberry, medium plus body, some spice, pepper; sticky finish; again very dry throughout.
I think this one is a solid buy, not an unbelievable buy, but a solid buy for old world red wine and Bordeaux fans. At $9.99, there's not much more you can ask for. Maybe a bit more depth and longer finish. But I'm not going to complain a bit. This is a good wine to stock up on if you see it.
CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 88 Points
Costco item number: 960797
Purchased at Costco in: Atlanta, GA
Alc. 13%
