Château Andron Médoc 2016

Born in an outstanding vintage in Bordeaux, the 2016 Château Andron Médoc provides an exceptional glass of traditional Médoc – rich, savory red wine with bold flavors and nary and edge. Moreover, one can enjoy this wine without having to take out a home equity loan or a serious line of credit. From its deep purple color and its enticing perfume one could easily imagine this to be a Médoc costing two or three times the price. Even costlier, perhaps, once they have tasted the wine. Better still, dark fruit flavors infused with sweet savory notes and a pleasant earthiness coat the mouth and delight the palate. Although not overly complex, the 2016 Château Andron provides a dense mouthful of wine that is beautifully balanced and ready to enjoy now. Just the right amount of ripe tannins tempered by time in barriques, some of which are new, add a smooth resplendent finish. Afford the 2016 Château Andron 10-15 minutes of aeration and enjoy it now and over the next several years at cool room temperature (60°-62° F).

Any Bordeaux or Cabernet lover won’t need much in the way of accompaniments to fully enjoy the 2016 Château Andron Médoc. Nonetheless, fine food and wine will only double the pleasure. With that said, well-bred Bordeaux shines brightest in the company of foods that exude simple elegance. A rotisserie chicken or an herb-grilled breast of chicken provides an ideal background with which to highlight the 2016 Château Andron. However, for the more culinary adept, we heartily recommend Chicken Barigoule, a rotisserie fried chicken breast served with braised artichokes, garlic, pearl onions, carrots, asparagus, and tomatoes – a simple but very elegant meal that showcases the savory aspects of fine Médoc Bordeaux. Other white meats, including pork tenderloin, present wonderful gastronomic opportunities with this superbly crafted Bordeaux, too. However, the richly flavored 2016 Château Andron also makes an ideal companion to a meaty ribeye or thick sirloin steak replete with an herb infused mushroom sauce. Château Andron’s forward fruit and extroverted personality make it a good bet with red and white meats as well as legumes, while soft cow’s milk cheeses provide a simple but tasty companion, too. Bon appétit!

Château Andron is owned by the venerable Bordeaux house of Cordier. Many of the greatest red Bordeaux wines of the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s emanated from Cordier properties (ex. Château Gruaud-Larose) when Cordier owned and managed those châteaux. Interestingly, those former Cordier châteaux have never quite reached the same level of quality since passing out of Cordier’s domain, while Cordier has brought Château Andron and its later acquisitions to enviable levels of quality. Château Andron serves as a beacon of quality and ranks as one of the greatest wine values among thousands of Bordeaux reds.

Château Andron is a 69-acre estate located in the very heart of the Médoc region of Bordeaux, an appellation renowned as the source of many of the greatest and most expensive wines on Earth. Situated on gentle slopes of gravel and clay, Château Andron sits along the swift flowing Gironde. The château is planted to traditional Bordeaux varietals, namely Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc, which yield a deep purple wine of bold flavor and considerable body in true Médoc fashion.