For many people, “Bordeaux” (region) conjures up images of expensive, out-of-reach wine. But we found one under $12 (under $11, in fact) that is quite nice:

• Terra Burdigala Causse Rouge 2005 $11 (AOC – Bordeaux)
  

This wine is 95% Merlot (grape variety) & 5% Cabernet Sauvignon (grape variety). This wine has at most a whisper of oak, allowing the Merlot character to shine through. If you’d like to experience somewhat lighter grape tannins in relatively pure form, then this wine is for you!

We first had it at one of our favorite restaurants in Ausin, TX – Chez Nous. The simplicity of their website should reassure you of the quality of their food. Fancy websites, like large automobiles, are suspect…

In any case, I just took my last sip of a lovely wine. Ripe, dark berries on the nose. Think: raspberries & strawberries & blackberries. On the tongue, grape tannins galore, or at least as much as one can expect from Merlot. As Jacques at Chez Nous described it: “skeenz and peets and all.” Exactly. The lovely aromas offer more than the flavors, making it a perfect wine for pairing with food. When we had this wine at Chez Nous, I had lamb, and my husband had steak. The wine stood up well, though those foods could have handled a more tannic wine! Tonight we had sausage & peppers in a delicious fennel, garlic, basil sauce over penne pasta (Barilla Plus is the best – more on that later) topped with shaved Parmesan. The wine was perfect. I love wines that perform for less than $12! Try this one!