The Legende Bordeaux Rouge 2017 is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot sourced from AOC designated vineyards in the Bordeaux region of France. The Legende brand is Domaines Barons de Rothschild's (Lafite) line of export wines.Legende line includes wines from the major Bordeaux region and the top-of-the-line wine from Rothschild's own vineyards. The Legende Bordeaux Rouge 2017 is sourced from contracted vineyards in multiple areas.High of the wine produced in Bordeaux sell for under twenty dollars. The top wines can get very pricey, but much of Bordeaux is affordable. The Legende Bordeaux Rouge 2017 should be found for around $15.As an export wine, the Legende has its own vineyards, its own source for oak barrels, and its own winemaker (Diane Flamand). So while it is part of the Rothschild (Lafite) brand, it will be different from the top wine line.There was a time when the export version of a country's wines would be markedly different from wine sold in the country. European wines were “Old School,” meaning balance was valued above all other attributes.”New School” wines were modern wines from the West Coast of America, South America, and Australia. With “New School” wines flavor came first and then balance.For some time, people thought there was a battle between the competing styles. But there was no competition, it was changing tastes in wine, and now most European wines lean toward the “New World” style.Bordeaux grows some of the finest, if not the finest, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grapes in the world. The famous Bordeaux Red blend is designed to show-off the interplay between those two grapes. Cabernet Franc, Petite Verdot, and sometimes Malbec are added to the blend as needed, but Cab and Merlot are the show's stars.The Red Blends farther down the price spectrum can not be expected to feature the costly blends' elite grapes. But when sourced correctly can still offer an excellent bang-for-the-buck.The Legende Bordeaux Rouge 2017 was fermented in stainless steel tanks, and 60% of the wine was aged in stainless steel. 40% was oak barrel-aged and then blended with the unbaked wine. This is not a Vegan-friendly wine since egg whites were used in the fining process (removing solids from the finished wine). The alcohol content is 12%, which is rarely seen in comparable California Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.Legende Bordeaux Rouge 2017 Tasting NotesThe color is a clear, see-thru cherry red. The nose is blackberry, toasted vanilla, dark spice, black coffee, and ripe plum. The Legende Bordeaux Rouge 2017 is a lean, sleek wine with dark flavors.It starts with blackberry, licorice, black pepper, and spice. The mid-palate adds soft blueberry, orange zest, molasses, a salty sensation, and tart cranberry. The tannins are more pronounced than with the typical California value-priced blend.Having tannins in a Red wine is a good thing; so many inexpensive (and even some expensive) wines have the tannins reduced to the point that you barely know they are there. It is nice to be reminded just what the tannin's role is in Red wine.The acidity is well-balanced. Maybe the Legende Bordeaux Rouge 2017 does have a bit of that “Old School” vibe.The SummaryIt is sometimes difficult to figure out which value-priced Bordeaux Rouge (Red) blend is worth purchasing. The Legende Bordeaux Rouge 2017 takes away the guesswork; you know the Rothschild (Lafite) brand will ensure quality.
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