How’s it going, wine lovers? Let me whisk you away on a vinous adventure to the illustrious Left Bank of Bordeaux, where the wines are as storied as the châteaux that dot the landscape. With eight years of winemaking under my belt—and thanks to South American fruit sourcing to double my harvest experiences—I've come to appreciate the unique character of Bordeaux, particularly with a twist that dates back to the early 1800s: Carmenère. The signature blend that I focus on is the Midnight Archer, a fan favorite which has earned double gold and gold medals in various competitions and wine ratings as high as 95 points, which you can find in our online wine shop or other great online wine retailers and fill your wine glass.
The Essence of Left Bank Bordeaux
The Left Bank of Bordeaux is known for its gravelly soils, mighty views of the river, and most of all, for its structured and civilized wines. Dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon, Left Bank wines are known for their lengthy durations of aging potential and their potent tannins. This is an area where tradition meets modernity, and where every bottle tells the tale of artisanal skill and the profound history of the terroir.
A Historical Twist: The Return of Carmenère
Now let’s talk about the history of Carmenère. Once a stalwart of the vineyard rows of the Old World, indeed of Bordeaux itself, as a regular part of the blend used by the Left Bank estates. Carmenère is that sliver of spice, a bit of exoticism, in the ordinary Left Bank blend, and used a lot before it was lost to France from a devastating phylloxera epidemic in the mid-19th century, as Carmenère is a late ripening fruit, highly susceptible to disease.
So Carmenère was ‘saved’ by earlier plantings in Chile and now rediscovering its historical popularity. I had the joy of working with this long-lost Bordeaux grape with our head winemaker, Matt Check, who crafts the Dark Angel. My left bank blend, the Midnight Archer, has all the body, as well as the pepper hues of the Carmenère variety. Narrating the parts of this blend is the Old Wolrd style, a commonality amongst the wine makers at Cellar Beast. The Midnight Archer reflects what a Left bank wine would have tasted like some 200-plus years ago.
Tasting the Terroir: Cabernet Sauvignon and Beyond
Central to the complexity of Left Bank wines is the vast power of Cabernet Sauvignon, the king of the grape variety jungle thanks to its deep colour, body and ageing power. Flavors of juicy blackcurrant, cedar and dark cherry are decorated by tannins to create a wine of great structure and longevity.
Cabernet Franc is often featured in our style of Bordeaux blends because it can help fill in the blanks where our stars (Cabernet Sauvignon) might be lacking in a given year. Merlot will sometimes lend its plump, juicy qualities to allow Cabernet’s power to be softened, rendering them more approachable in their youth. And then there is our once lost historical guest, Carmenère. Its peppery notes, deep red fruit notes and a little spice will always celebrate the history of Bordeaux.
The Left Bank Experience
Think about a bottle of red Bordeaux from the Left Bank. You open the bottle, pouring to see that ruby color. It’s a swirl in the mouth, perhaps a bit of graphite and, you know, a bit more violet along with the Carmenère's added complexity. You take the sip. It’s assertive, it’s punchy and the tannins are laying down the law: ‘I can do this all day.’ But then, as it blows off, you put the wine in the mouth, and you get your blackberry but then it goes down to a savory, herbal note, at the end: long, layered, and memorable.
Pairing with Panache
Left Bank Bordeaux, especially with an infusion of Carmenère, works wonders with foods that are as rich and full-bodied as the wine. Red meats such as a good steak or lamb chops will do the trick, perhaps enhanced with herbs that echo some of the wine’s flavours. When it comes to cheese to pair with this wine, it means that you’re best off with the aged variety, because the wine will easily overpower anything mild, thinking aged Gouda or a sharp Cheddar.
From Vineyard to Glass
Blending the old with a forgotten history has been a great adventure as a winemaker, a challenging one vintage to another, but the best reward is to pour and share. Whenever you drink our Left Bank-style Bordeaux, you are not just savoring wine, you are experiencing a bit of viniculture innovation as it takes inspiration from history and is brought to your wine glass through an online retailer by passionate and creative winegrowers on a special occasion.
Cheers to Exploration!
To all of you curious and adventurous wine lovers out there, cheers! And may you find your wine collection as full and surprising as a 180-year-old Bordeaux style wine. À votre santé! Left Bank, Carmenère, Midnight Archer – it’s all in the winemaking.
About Cellar Beast:
Our expert team of wine makers, wine experts, and sommeliers offer exclusive access to a superb selection of wines to add to your collection of perfect wines. They will redefine your perception customer service through our wide selection of high-end wines, appealing to even the most refined wine enthusiasts and wine connoisseurs. Located just minutes from the Lizard Creek Inn, our wine campus offers a unique selection of varietals from leading wine regions, with a focus on French varieties, setting us apart in an area typically associated with sweeter wines. Joining a tasting with our celebrated team is comparable to taking an in-depth wine course; it's crafted to ignite your taste buds, deepen your understanding of aromas from primary to tertiary, involve you in blind tastings, and help you appreciate the unique bottles of wine that bear the Cellar Beast emblem. Many of our patrons are motivated to expand their wine knowledge at the Wine School of Philadelphia. We also offer exclusive bottle quantities, including sparkling wines, natural wines, selections to our wine club members, elevating your expectations of wine quality. As a woman-owned winery, Cellar Beast has garnered prestigious accolades across the wine industry, including Double Golds and Best in Class at various wine competitions, with ratings as high as 97 points.
In addition to our online wine shop, our wine club membership offers complimentary tastings of award-winning wines, a wide variety of exclusive bottles of wine selected only for wine club members, a great way to build your collection of wines. Membership is available as a quarterly club or with an annual commitment, either with wine shipping or in-person pickup, both of which offer exclusive discounts, discounts on special events, wine club events and super premium offerings of delicious wines to include white wines, roses, and red wines through frequent communication at your email address. Historically, we have offered a limited number of Italian wines, which are reserved for club members. We have the ability accept credit cards for wine shipments to most states as well as offering gift cards for membership to others.
