2016 is the vintage that keeps on giving here at Mission. First, we had the 2016 Cugat from Bordeaux Superieur (still the best-selling red wine in our store’s history) and now we’re thrilled to present the 2016 Haut Lorca from Fronsac for just $14.95.
A true Bordeaux blend composed of 65% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc, 2.5% Malbec, and 2.5% Petit Verdot, all five red varieties from organically-farmed vineyards in the Fronsac region were used to compile this stunning value wine. With almost eight years of bottle age, and from one of the decade’s truly great vintages, the 2016 Haut Lorca is a sleeper value that delivers the ripeness of the harvest with integrated tannins and fleshy fruit in classic Bordeaux fashion.
For those who lament that the cost of good Bordeaux has become unattainable for everyday drinking (and we agree with you!), we strongly urge you to try a bottle and take it for a spin. It’s the perfect complement for grilled meats or even a heavier mushroom risotto. Plus, we’ve kept a bottle open at Mission for days on end and the flavor never dissipates. It’s a wine that can last throughout the week on the counter with just the cork pushed halfway in, allowing you to pour it by the glass as the evenings roll along.
More importantly, the character of the vintage is present in every sip: both the structure and the ripeness of fruit that were the calling card of 2016. Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate has repeatedly referred to the 2016 Bordeaux vintage as “extraordinary” with “wines that are extremely long-lived” and often “slow to mature.” Wine Enthusiast has gone so far as to ask: “Is 2016 the Perfect Bordeaux?
Eight years after the vintage, we’re thrilled to offer another stunning 2016 Bordeaux at an absolutely unbeatable price for the quality. We love finding under-the-radar French values, especially when they’re perfectly aged and ready to drink now.
2016 Haut Lorca Bordeaux (Elsewhere $20+) $14.95
WINE ENTHUSIAST: This simple, ripe and fruity wine comes from the region just north of Fronsac. Spicy and stalky black fruits are bolstered by acidity and light tannins.