Monday, November 2, 2020

The LEGENDE begins in Bordeaux under the Supervision of the Lafite Empires Oenologist Diane Flammand by Philip S. Kampe

 


LEGENDE wines, produced by the Rothschild family, home of Chateau Lafite, and a project of notable winemaker, Diane Flammand, is a group of five, affordable, ready to drink Bordeaux’s that exceed expectations due to acceptable price points for these iconic wines.wines,  Quality is not sacrificed for these impeccable wines.

The five wines from the Legende portfolio represent Bordeaux in a light of ‘try me, I’m affordable.’ That is the case for all of the wines. Not just affordable, but drinkable from the get go. Iconic winemaker Diane Flammand has styled wines that involve both old and new world styles, all with incredible balance  

For new wine lovers, these wines are an affordable Bordeaux starting point. The grapes used are ones that didn’t make it into the flagship wines, hence, the reasonable price points. The wines were created by requests for classic wines that were lighter and ready to drink, similar to ‘house wines’ in bulk. 

Diane Flammand sourced grapes from Lafite’s vineyards for , Pauillac and Medoc, while sourcing grapes from the Entre-Deux-Mers region for the Blanc and partnering with a nearby vineyard for the Sant-Emilion. 

Legende is a discovery of each appellation under the guides of Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite).

These are the wines I sampled that help make up the Legende portfolio. 

Legende Bordeaux Blanc 2019. 85% Sauvignon Blanc 15% Semilion Tropical fruit, crisp, fresh and fruity.  Aromas of citrus, lemon and stone fruit. Apricot, Granny Smith and stone fruit explode on your palate. A lovely, lively wine.

Legende Bordeaux 2017. 60% Cabernet Sauvignon 40% Merlot. Well balanced with obvious aromas of raspberry, cranberry and strawberry. On the palate, vanilla, strawberry and oak prevail. Its a definite food wine that matches with meat or tomato based cuisines. 

Legende Bordeaux Medoc 2016. 65% Cabernet Sauvignon 35% Merlot. Bold and spicy, memorable, ripe tannins and bright acidity define this superb Bordeaux. Flavors and aromas of blackcurrent, black cherry, cranberry, blackberry, leather, mushroom, vanilla, oak and tobacco prevail. 

Legende Bordeaux Saint-Emilion 2016  95% Merlot 5% Cabernet Sauvignon An interesting wine focused on nuisances of licorice, earth, red fruit and oak. Soft tannins evolved after some time opening flavors of vanilla, oak, spice, licorice and coffee on the palate. Full-bodied, well balanced with a pleasure to drink. 

Lege Bordeaux Pauillac 2016  60% Cabernet Sauvignon  40% Merlot. This wine is a true treat. Classic structure, spot on balance and bright acidity make this a legendary wine. Bold with smooth tannins, acidic with an intriguing dry finish help make this wine a standout. Plum, blackberry, blackcurrent, oak, vanilla, smoke and tobacco dominate the palate. Decant this wine for a couple of hours before pouring or cellar it for a half dozen years to reach its expectation. 

Philip S. Kampe

Philip.kampe@thewinehub.com 


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