Chateau Palmer ($400/bottle) Makes this Wine, from Grapes Grown on their Estate - It's $75

I love a great deal and today's wine is a rare chance for most of us to be able to drinkwine made by one of the top estates in Boreaux, for only $75.  I am thrilled to be able to offer the 2010 Chateau Vincent from Margaux for $74.99 on a 3-pack. The chateau is located within Chateau Palmer's estate. The wines are in "fermage" which means Palmer manages the vineyards, does the vinification and then pays Vincent in "young wine", which is press wine. This is juice that has been fermented but has not gone through malo.  The wine is spectacular and can give the 2010 Palmer a run for its money. It is a big rich wine with a firm backbone. Tannic and somewhat backward at this stage, as can be expected with a serious 2010, with great acidity and structure. The fruit is beautiful and pure and there is plenty of it. Lots of smoke, flowers and darker cassis style fruits, But all tiny berry and explosive. The finish is epic and lasts and lasts. 2010 Bordeaux may be expensive but the bang for the buck in this wine is off the charts. It is one of the few 2010 Bordeaux I will cellar.

Since the 1932 classification Chateau Vincent has been a "Cru Bourgeois" but before this date it was classified as a Cru Bourgeois Superior. In the 2003 reclassification it was not even Cru Bourgeois because it was not vinified at the Chateau, but at Chateau Palmer. French wine law; gotta love it. This decision in no way qualifies it as an inferior wine as it is easily classed growth quality. I mean it is essentially Chateau Palmer. The quality, especially in 2010 is off the charts. It is a blend of 50% Merlot and 50% Cabernet Sauvignon. Hand harvested with yields averaging 45 hl/ha and it is fermented with natural yeasts. Total production is 8,000-9,000 bottles, which is absurdly tiny when it comes to Bordeaux. The regular Palmer in 2010 is almost a perfect wine but goes for $400 a bottle.

It was owned by the Domec-Jadouin family since the 18th century. They had 12 properties in the Medoc, but after World War II, by the time Jean Domec inherited the properties, all they had left was Chateau Vincent. Jean died and then Madame Domec struck up the arrangement with Chateau Palmer. Palmer did the harvesting, fermentation and delivered the young wine after ecoulage (when the wine is run off the marc) when the wine was officially approved for the appellation.  The wine was kept in used barrels from Palmer, who looked after the assemblage.  Chateau Palmer still looks after the vineyard, vinification and assemblage, and also visits regularly to help with elevage.  Under this system of 'metayage' Palmer gets to keep 2/3rds of the harvest for the work it does.  It also buys back 1/6th of the finished wine.

2010 Chateau Vincent Margaux - $79.99 ($224.97 3-pack) 

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