2016 Chateau Reynier, Bordeaux Supérieur, Grand Vin de Bordeaux Red, France.
The solid performing and value priced Chateau Reynier Bordeaux is made from 50% Cabernet Sauvignon and 50% Merlot grown on the estate’s limestone and clay soils with asteria limestone subsoil that adds a classic flavor profile to this lighter style red that seems perfectly happy not trying to hard and would be a joyous and happy choice at your local bistro. This is never going to be anything other than a nice and easy Bordeaux to enjoy over the next few years, but sometimes a friendly Cabernet blend that is comforting is just what the mind and body call for, a wine that does require too much thought or attention. The 2016 vintage, very much a highly regarded year and much hyped proved perfect for these lower end offerings with ripe layers and a touch more charm than most years and this Reynier gives a good account of itself with black cherry, plum, mulberry and currant fruits, with the Merlot adding a smooth caressing mouth feel, while the Cabernet, somewhat muted here adds an impression of structure and enough tannin to hold up to hearty foods, along with a snap of floral notes, cedar and a hint of mineral. The Chateau Reynier opens a bit with air and some oak shows giving an impression of luxuriousness, this is not a loud wine or is it trying to hard, certainly you could do a lot worse than this when it comes to lower priced Bordeaux. My own opinion is that, most of time, you should be very selective and drink really good Bordeaux to really understand why it is such a great region, but for parties and no pretense drinking a wine like this is perfectly fine.
Chateau Reynier, owned by the famous Lurton family and run by winemaker Marc Lurton, was founded by his great grandfather in 1901, with his wife Agnes the estate is part of Vignobles Marc and Agnes Lurton, which also includes the Chateau de Bouchet, the property is nestled within the Bordeaux Superieur zone located on the hillsides of the Entre Deux Mers, in an area more known for white wines, about 10km south of St. Emilion. Lurton uses traditional and modern winemaking techniques in his old limestone caves, where he crafts his wines using stainless steel tanks to do maceration and fermentation, but after primary is finish he takes a unique turn with the Bordeaux Superieur being aged in a unique (for France and especially Bordeaux) in a combination of French and American oak barrels for about a year. The Wood, which is usually 50% new and 50% one time filled, is surprisingly subtle in this vintage though you can get the creaminess and sweet vanilla on the medium bodied palate. The Chateau Reynier is not going to impress the serious Bordeaux drinkers, but it was pleasing and a clean, I opened it as part of study in Bordeaux varietals originally, but it made for a nice pizza wine in the end and while I may not search another bottle out, I wouldn’t mind another glass or two if it was by the glass or on a limited wine list, if I was in a budget mood. Judging a wine by price and complexity, this wine does mostly what is promised, though I think there’s more bang for the buck elsewhere, especially a savvy Rhone red, that said I might get some of the Reynier Blanc.
($18 Est.) 87 Points, grapelive