There is no need to travel to Bordeaux this season—just in case that was on your to-do list! ABC is hosting not one, but two separate Bordeaux wine tasting events—one this weekend at select ABC stores, and later The Bordeaux Grande Tasting will be held on January 15^th at The Rosen Shingle Creek Resort in Orlando.

This Saturday, November 9^th, from 2-5:00 p.m. we’ll be pouring three red Bordeaux wines: 

Château Haut-Pommarède 2010—Graves, Bordeaux, France

This vineyard of 9 hectares is planted in 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 50% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 5% Malbec.  The wine shows deep purple color, notes of black fruits and spices with an underlying mineral structure, a fleshy middle and ripe tannins. 

Château Thuillac 2010 – Côtes de Bourg, Bordeaux, France

This small vineyard of 7.5 hectares east of the city of Bordeaux is 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon.  The wine opens with bright ruby color followed by red fruit and spice notes with a touch of oak.  The suppleness of the Merlot shows in the texture and the silky tannins show the quality of the 2010 vintage.

Croix des Bardes 2010 – St. Émilion, Bordeaux, France

The blend is 65% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon.  The 2010 vintage was excellent with all of the pieces falling into place, and this wine shows the ripeness and balance of the vintage.  The wine leads with deep ruby color followed by aromas of plum and current with a touch of oak, a fleshy middle and firm balanced finish. 

To view the list of stores participating in this wine sampling, visit this link: http://bit.ly/1aR9LCO.

And the grandest of all wine tasting events, happening early next year, is The Bordeaux Grande Tasting. In what is becoming an annual event, owners and managers from some of Bordeaux’s top estates will be back in Orlando for this special tasting. Last year, thirty-nine château owners and managers came to pour fifty-four wines. Over 150 people attended and at least as many are expected this year, if not more. The tasting will be Wednesday, January 15, 2014, from 7:00-10:00 p.m. in a ballroom of The Rosen Shingle Creek Resort, located at 9939 Universal Boulevard, Orlando. More information and tickets to
this wine tasting can be found on ABC’s website:  abcfws.com/BordeauxGrandeTasting.