This year's Decanter World Wine Awards Regional Trophy for Red Bordeaux under £15 went to Château Domi-Cours, Bordeaux Supérieur 2010 (13.5%)
Tasted against:
- No other Golds in this category
Profile:
Château Domi-Cours is the second property of Frédéric Bellanger, his other winery being Château Roquefort less than an hour’s drive up the road. Bellanger took over duties from his father Jean, a textile industrialist, in 1995 and in 2002 bought this property, as he was so impressed with its untapped potential. Since succeeding his father he has committed himself to furthering the development of both sites, displaying the same determination his father showed in revitalising Roquefort.
In the 1980s when the first vines were planted (the debut vintage was 1987), the vineyards totalled 10 hectares, but that number has since more than doubled. Overseeing these vines is winemaker Samuel Mestre. ‘We’re in the southeast of the Gironde,’ says Mestre, ‘so the ocean’s influence is less marked than in the rest of Bordeaux. The winters are colder and the summers are drier and hotter; it’s like a mix between an oceanic and a Mediterranean climate.
‘2010 was really a great year,’ he adds. ‘Better than 2009 in many respects. The alcohols were lower, the growing season was longer (which gives more complexity), the acidity level was higher than in 2009 and we were able to harvest in perfect conditions. The wine has both power and softness – it’s one of the best vintages we’ve ever produced.’
Written by Decanter
