This bottle of Belle France Bordeaux Rouge, purchased as part of Aldi’s Wine of the Week promotion, represents excellent value for money and is almost certainly sold at below cost to get customers into stores. Priced at £9.99, and reduced to only £4.99, which is quite a bargain for a Bordeaux.
The wine is a blend of Merlot (65%), Cabernet Sauvignon (25%) and Cabernet Franc (10%), made by Producta Vignobles, a cooperative with a long history of pioneering the sale of AOC wines in supermarkets since 1960. This level of traceability to an identifiable producer, via a barcode on the back label, is uncommon at this price point.
A portion of the harvest first undergoes thermovinification to enhance colour and fruity aromas, with the wine seeing skin maceration for about three weeks to build structure. About 40% of the wine is lightly oaked, adding a subtle layer of flavour.
The 2022 vintage exhibits a lighter, slightly brownish hue, which is surprising for a relatively young wine. Mild plum aromas dominate, setting the tone for what is a softer Bordeaux experience.
At 13% ABV, the wine also has a lighter body than one might expect from its varietal mix. Taste-wise, cherry fruit flavours are present but not strong, with a touch of spice and a noticeable “Merlot-ness” characterised by plum-like richness. The tannins are low to medium and less pronounced than expected for the vintage, resulting in a wine that is easy to drink on its own. Decanting made no discernible difference, the wine is ready to drink now and unlikely to improve with age.
At £4.99, this wine punches well above its weight and surpasses most ‘ready to drink’ Bordeaux offerings at this level which can often be overly rough. While this wine doesn’t deliver any depth or complexity, it provides a pleasant enough and accessible experience, making it a great value option for casual drinking.
