Friday, January 23, 2015

Chateau Tour de Gilet 2012 Bordeaux Supérieur

We enjoyed the Château Tour de Gilet during our recent trip to Colorado for our nephew’s wedding. The rehearsal dinner was at Le Central, a cool French restaurant in Denver.
I must digress for a moment to explain how horrible the traffic is in Denver! There are five solid lanes of traffic in every direction with your turning lanes carefully placed on the side opposite you. My phone GPS was finicky as well – changing routes seemingly every minute.
Needless to say, we made several passes around town before finally zeroing in on the restaurant. By the time I found an ultra-scarce parking spot, I was ready for vino!
Château Tour de Gilet is located  a short distance north of the city of Bordeaux. The chateau was erected on the foundation of an ancient abbey of the twelfth century. Lots of little streams cross the vineyard to drain the soil and to improve the quality.
The wine is aged in steel vats, and so the flavors are bright and not buried under layers of oak. It offers flavor notes of cherries and blackberry with a hint of tobacco. It certainly paired well with my grilled beef dish.
The exact blend for the Château Tour de Gilet is a mystery, but it seems to be a Merlot-driven blend with Cabernet Sauvignon and perhaps Petite Verdot. Bordeaux Supérieur wine is often produced by single parcels of older vines. Moreover, Bordeaux Supérieur wines must be aged for at least 12 months before they can be sold.
Château Tour de Gilet allowed my somewhat stressed and oxygen-deprived body a chance to breathe in the smooth goodness of French winemaking. It paired perfectly with our festive French dinner and helped make a memorable occasion for all.

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