Château La France, Cuvée Gallus — Earthy & Rich

Last year I started highlighting some good, yet affordable wines from Bordeaux.  Here’s another wine in that category.

This one comes from Château La France, a pretty large estate in the Bordeaux region at 90 hectares (222 acres) with 75 of those planted.

The wine is classified as Bordeaux Supérieur and is made of 60% merlot, 35% malbec and 5% cabernet franc.  It’s aged 12 months in oak.

This wine is all about the earthiness for me — but that’s not to say it’s not fruity too.  The aromas are dominated by spice, tree bark and cedar aromas, but there’s also some blackberry and currant.  The palate offers rich black currant, blackberry and spice flavors.  It is a little more bitter than I’d like, but it’s still good.  The acidity is good and the mouthfeel is alright.  The finish is fairly long and earthy.  Overall, it’s a decent, affordable Bordeaux for those who prefer an earthy wine.

Wine: Château La France, Cuvée Gallus
Varieties: 60% merlot, 35% malbec, 5% cabernet franc
Vintage: 2010
Rating: 85
Average price: $15.00
Disclosure: This wine was received as a media sample.