“The goal of Chateau de Brague’s Bordeaux Superieur is to make a wine that is supple and elegant, while still maintaining freshness.” 

In 1936, Maurice Trève purchased a vineyard in the area of Fronsac on the eastern edge of Bordeaux. For him, planting the vineyard took him away from his day job building railroad equipment, but his granddaughters today run the estate full time. Chateau de Brague’s Bordeaux Supérieur has been a mainstay in Portland for years, one of the best values available in Bordeaux. The just-released 2019 edition is a worthy successor to the great 2016 vintage of the last several years. Spicey blackcurrant and plum, cinnamon, violets and gentian root on the nose. The palate has the sort of fresh picked black cherries that stain your fingers, earth and rich leather and tobacco notes that linger through a finish with building tannins and a hint of roasted coffee. It’s a sturdy wine that holds up to the mission statement. Fresh enough to match with food, suave enough to enjoy by the fire with a good book.