Weekend at Bernie's

I recently had two wines from Chateau de Bertinerie, Cotes de Bordeaux. Both were from the 2006 vintage and labeled as cru reserve. First up: the 100% Sauvignon Blanc. A lush nose leads you to complex citrus flavors and subtle fruit. This wine is aged in all new oak, which is balanced out by the acidity for a nicely structured finish. Then came the 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 60% Merlot. This is a classic French blend with good structure and aromatics, along with a nice helping of red fruits, but a little too spicy in the finish to have on its own. So invite some friends over (or rent them) and make a hardy stew, get some crusty French bread, and dip away until there is no more.