What I’m Drinking Now: Sommelier Jason Hisaw on Bordeaux wines

I love wines from Bordeaux and probably always will.

These are the wines from the left bank of the Gironde River in France, a unique area with a temperate climate, short winters, and humidity that makes the grapes happy. Wines from Bordeaux are powerful and full of tannin, yet they’re remarkably drinkable. You’ll usually taste waves of cassis, blackberries, chocolate, a hint of earthiness, and an acidity that will make your mouth water.

Try a bottle of 2005 Château Cantemerle from the Haut-Medoc region of Bordeaux and see what I mean. This is a great example of a wine with muscle and finessse. Open a bottle now, and put a few in a back closet to taste a few years from now. As these wines age, you’ll taste new waves of flavors that weren’t there the first time.

Hisaw is certified by the Court of Master Sommeliers as an Advanced Level Sommelier. He is part of the wine team at Pappas Bros. Steakhouse in Dallas and writes for EscapeHatchDallas.com.