Wine of the Week! 01/02/24

Vignobles Michel Dulon
Château Bois de la Croix Bordeaux Rouge

Normally $18.99 / Now on Sale for $14.96
60% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc (Entre-Deux-Mers, Bordeaux)

The Dulon family can trace their lineage in Soulignac — a commune in the Entre-Deux-Mers region of Bordeaux — back to 1737. It was some time later that husband and wife Bertrand and Marguerite Dulon purchased some land with grape vines on them. Thus they went from being innkeepers to being innkeepers and winemakers.

However, it wasn’t until 1970 that Dulon winemaking shifted from bulk production to bottling under their own name. That was when Michel Dulon inherited what was then 40 hectares of vines from his father. Today, Michel and his wife Carole still oversee the winemaking with sustainably farmed grapes, while their daughters, Sophie and Françoise manage the business. They put out this affordable Bordeaux, separate from their house label.

Over half of the Château Bois de la Croix Bordeaux is Merlot with the remainder being Cabernet Sauvignon and a touch of Cabernet Franc. Dulon ferments each of the grapes separately to allow them to achieve their own identity. They then age the blended wine in stainless steel. (No oak touches this fruit.) The resultant wine has beautiful notes of cherry and almond with hints of warm spices like anise and vanilla.