Appellation: Côtes de Bordeaux
Varieties: 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot.
This wine came via WTSO.com – Wines til Sold Out. At a cost of $12.00 per bottle including shipping I could not resist this Côtes de Bordeaux or its highly regarded 2009 vintage. The Château Lafitte Marcellin is also the third 2009 Bordeaux I write about in the last year or so. First came the Wine Spectator 90 pt. rated 2009 Chateau de Macard Bordeaux Superieur followed by the 87 pt. rated 2010 Kirkland Signature [yes Costco!] 2010 Bordeaux Superieur.
One would think I am on a search for the perfect budget Bordeaux. In fact I have probably been swayed by raves for the 2009/2010 vintages and am really just looking for good wine. I’ve lucked out with my three choices thus far. But at the same time I have not felt the urgent need to return to them either. I am quickly realizing my search will just have to continue. Hard work I know.
In the case of the light bodied Château Lafitte Marcellin my opinion is that it is still too young to show its true colors. Upon opening I immediately detected very tight aromas on the nose with slight fruit detectable at first. This started to change almost immediately from just sweetness to more of a dark fruit scent. But still not powerful or forward at all. I noted the lack of wood [this wine not aged in wood] and also a mustiness that appeared after about 10 minutes of decanting.
On the palate I noted very dry/tight unripened fruit. At 40 minutes after decanting; dry fruit became more obvious on the nose with the addition of anise. As we passed the 60-90 minute mark the fruit scents continued to open along with a pepperiness that was not evident before. But it did not develop much more even after 2 hours. Of course I could have been more patient but at that point there was just no more wine to let breathe 
My verdict: An additional 2-5 years may tell a different story and luckily once again I have a couple more bottles in my cellar to let sit a spell. This is where I remind myself that patience is still a virtue… ¡SALUD!
Winemaker information:
This 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot blend is made in
stainless steel tanks with a pre-fermentation maceration lasting
5 days, followed by fermentation for 10 days, under controlled
temperatures. The wine is then aged in vats before being bottled
on the estate.
The 35-acre vineyard of Chateau Lafitte Marcellin is nestled in the heart of rolling hillsides along the Garonne River, in the commune of Soulignac (20 miles SE of Bordeaux), with some plots located right on the slopes. This particular topography allows for maximum sunshine on dry soils with a welcome wind blowing from the banks of the Garonne. Such a micro terroir and its specific alchemy give this Cote de Bordeaux its unique attributes: a deep nose of dark berries, welcome smoothness, vibrant fruit, and firm end-of-mouth tannins.
Not far from the property, in 1946, the “Soulignac treasure” was discovered by a family ancestor. This treasure, discovered on the locality of Marcellin, consisted of a large earthenware pot containing about 65 pounds of bronze and silver coins from the Roman era, bearing the effigy of Roman rulers… They are now to be found in the Bordeaux Musee d’Aquitaine. Local legend has it that the finder cried out: “With such a treasure, we are richer than Laffite!”
Related articles
- Wine Of The Week: A Bordeaux Supérieur. (forbes.com)
- En Primeur 2013: Professor Denis Dubourdieu speaks on the 2012 Vintage (awinestory.com)
Of course my favorite day was on a recent Friday. Not because of the usual reasons one would think on this particularly favored day of the week but because that was the day the wine started to arrive. As we unloaded the palettes and cases I was like a kid in a candy shop in awe of all the names I recognized and even more so over the ones I did not and would soon be discovering.
Malbec World Day officially April 17th came early to our house this year. May have had something to do with the celebratory mood here after being hired by 
