red and white wines of château grand village

One of the great ironies of Bordeaux, a land known for its famous Châteaux, is that very few of the owners actually live there. As you drive around the region, the landscape is filled with these impressive, sometimes palatial, buildings but inside, the fittings are functional and the atmosphere is official. There are no welly boots by the back door at Lafite and certainly no pets scampering around the manicured lawns of Cheval Blanc. Most of the owners are safely tucked away in Paris and the estate managers go to their own homes when the day is done, leaving the floodlights to illuminate the building to the passing cars.

In some ways, this should not surprise us. After all, the most famous wines have become iconic brands, where image is everything and nothing can be left to chance. How unsightly it would be to arrive at Latour and have to knock on a door rather than be greeted by a remotely operated bollard that pops out of the road as you approach, as is the case now! For the real Bordeaux, you need to travel outside of the rock-star appellations, away from the tourist trail and into the heart and soul of the country.

In Mouillac, on the outskirts of Fronsac, set deep back from the right bank of the Dordogne river, is Château Grand Village. Jacques Guineaudeau, current owner with wife Sylvie and son Baptiste, was born at Grand Village and his family have lived there since 1650.

This is no general manager parachuted in and driving home to a house in the suburbs! Such deeply rooted personal attachment certainly goes some way to explaining the fanatical care and attention that the family places upon its wines, elevating them far above the humble Bordeaux Supérieur appellation to which they are entitled.

It also goes some way to explaining the warmth of the welcome – no golf cart to whisk you off to the tasting room here as at Mouton Rothschild, but rather a hearth rug, a roaring fire and books on the reading table, open at the last page rather than displayed to impress on the coffee table.

Grand Village is predominantly a red wine estate but as is often the case, Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc are also planted here, producing a delicious dry white, best for drinking young. In the past, the white was an equal blend of the two varieties but in recent vintages Jacques has slowly increased the proportion of Sauvignon and the wine is becoming more energetic and aromatic as a result. It is never oaked and makes for a vital and uncomplicated glass. The current vintage, 2006, is now in its prime.

The red is usually a blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot. There is only a very small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon planted here as the soil, as in Pomerol, is rich in clay. The blend is usually 60% Cabernet Franc and 40% Merlot and aged in barriques for 12 to 1 months, with only a small proportion of new wood, never more than 20%. There is a second wine called Beau Villages and the Guinaudeaus also sell wine off in bulk, thereby making a proper and rigorous selection, unheard of at this level. The result is a supple and harmonious claret with deceptive levels of concentration and definition and it generally drinks well from three to ten years after harvest. There are exceptions though – the 1990, tasted last autumn, was a revelation for a 17 year-old!

We adore these wines and think that they offer some of the best value to be found in Bordeaux. That they are produced by such genuine and charming people is even more of a delight. If you haven’t yet tried Grand Village, you really must, so take advantage of the offer below.

Crisp and fresh, with herb and citrus notes. Tangy and clean on the palate with a lively length.

Very dark ruby purple colour. Scents are saturated with ripe dark fruit aromas. Very good ripeness and texture on the palate, with fine tannins and lovely follow-through.

Bordeaux continues to infuriate and delight in equal measure, so it is a relief to find a humble bordeaux supérieur property that manages to make good wine most years like this soft, velvety, herby claret. Jane MacQuitty – The Times, 2nd February

Buy any 3 case mix and save 10% or any 5 case mix and save 15% To order, please fill in our order form below by indicating the quantity required. We will send you a confirmation email in return about your purchase.

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