The Bordeaux of Death

Kevin and I are trying to learn something about wine. As some of you may know we prefer the independent study model and that of course ends up in a lot of disasterously naïve experimentation. Here is our horrific tale- well it's not so bad actually.

Kevin and I were out around early Sunday evening looking for wine to have with dinner. It's France and it's the 17eme and it's Sunday so the streets are nearly deserted. Only the Chinese eateries and a few tiny convenience stores, also run by Asian immigrants, are open. Every 10 minutes or so we would see others, usually 30 somethings (no god abiding elderly people) also combing the store fronts. They'd have our same crazed anxiety about them, that "I forgot to get wine for dinner look" in their eyes. We finally found a Russian grocery store that seemed popular because it was full of a healthy mix of shiny happy people.  We crossed the street and went inside. The shop was surprisingly not smelly even though there were several buckets of whole fish on the shelves in the back. One bucket looked like giant sardines marinated in kim chi and another looked like giant sardines marinated in muddy water- no really. I would have taken pictures but the clerks didn't seem friendly. They had some wine, they had some white Bordeaux in fact– and it was 3 €. The price was right and why not? In the name of research we go forth! This is what I learned:

DO NOT DRINK THIS

Another clue perhaps?

Apparently, this alleged Bordeaux has done a lot of traveling.  We suspect it might have been shipped from France to somewhere in Russia for labeling and then shipped back to France or something like that. I didn't think of it then – uhmm not so good. You see I have become a great fan of the Kir, my preferred version is the Kir Royale made with champagne but on a budget the Kir is a lovely alternative. A little white wine is all you need. So I thought this might be an interesting experiement. WRONG. The wine reminded me of what the combination of lime juice and Windex might taste like. Nevertheless, in the spirit of research, I added a little more crème de cassis.

Nope– that didn't work either. Yuk, it went into the sink. Beware all ye friends of mine!

Our French authority, Paris native (for many generations), Sébastien, taught us that quality wine should be produced and packaged in the same region so that, for example, a bottle of Bordeaux should be marked with the zip code of the Bordeaux region (a number beginning with 33).

Also, now I have to say that this wasn't actually such a good wine. It was very, very dry and had no flavor envelope even after breathing. Well maybe it just wasn't stored well or it was a bad year (2006). I would maybe try it again from another vendor if there was nothing else.

Furthermore, the top of the bottle (over the cork) should also be marked with the phrase récoltant meaning that the wine was bottled in the same place that it is grown. Aha! Hmmm... very sneaky you Russian faux Bordeaux peddlers! 

By the way for all you that might have been wondering if that was Diego and Frieda with their little heads stuck together and pinned to the wall in the first picture of the Richelieu Bordeaux. Yes. That is the famous couple. The things you (I mean crazy me of course) bring to Paris!