I recently decided to review two French red wines that are blends. Blends have the benefit that two or more grape varieties together fill in the weakness of the other grape. For example, one grape may be fruity but lack tannins, while another grape has plenty of tannins but lacks much fruit character. Putting the two grape varieties together makes the resulting wine more rounded and enjoyable.
The two wines that I tasted are: Famille Sichel Chateau Daviaud 2022 from Bordeaux and M. Chapoutier Belleruche Cotes-du-Rhone 2023. Here are my tasting notes along with the blends that went into each wine.
My Wine Tasting Notes
Famille Sichel Chateau Daviaud 2022 (BC $21.99)
The Sichel family, of British origin, settled in Bordeaux in 1883. They purchased Château Daviaud in early 2020. Prior to the acquisition, the estate was already a historic grape supplier for the Sichel family’s Bel Air cellar.
A blend of 45% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Franc, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 15% Malbec. There is not much information about the vinification of this wine other than destemmed bunches were fermented, then spent 6 months ageing in vat before bottling.
Appearance: A clear, medium-plus intensity garnet colour.
Nose: Lighter aromas of green pepper, greenness, and a touch of black fruit. After decanting there was no greenness or green pepper; just black fruit with a hint of char.
Palate: Dry, medium-minus body, with a smooth, soft mouthfeel. Light tannins to start that get firmer on the finish. Medium acidity. Light flavours of black fruits and a touch of oak. The wine moves up to medium body after decanting with no change to the flavours, tannins or acidity.
Finish: Medium to medium-plus length, finishing with light black fruit flavours, firmer tannins and a touch of pepperiness. After decanting, the touch of pepperiness disappeared.
A straightforward red Bordeaux blend. No need to decant.
Rating: 
The Famille Sichel Château Daviaud 2022 is a Bordeaux blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Malbec that shows a medium-plus garnet colour and opens with subtle aromas of black fruit, green pepper, and herbal notes that evolve toward pure black fruit with a hint of char after decanting. The palate is dry with medium-minus body and a smooth, soft texture. Light black fruit flavours and a touch of oak supported by medium acidity and light tannins that get firmer toward the finish. It finishes medium to medium-plus in length with black fruit, firmer tannins, and a hint of pepperiness that fades with air.
M. Chapoutier Belleruche Cotes-du-Rhone 2023 (BC $22.99)
A blend primarily of Grenache and Syrah. The winery does not give the exact percentages.
Winemaking notes, “After a total destemming, the grapes are vinified in concrete and stainless steel tanks for 3 to 4 weeks. Pumping over operations are carried out each day to gently extract the aromatic components, anthocyanins and tannins. The fermentation temperature is regulated and set at 28°C. At the end of alcoholic fermentation, the temperature is allowed to rise to 30-33°C to assist the polymerization of tannins…Aged for 6 months in concrete vats and stainless steel tanks.”
Appearance: A clear, deeply coloured garnet colour in the glass. About 85% opaque. Teardrops noticeable on the sides of the glass after swirling.
Nose: Medium intensity aromas of woodiness, ripe raspberries, black berries, black plums, black pepper, along with a touch of oak and mace. The wine has less woodiness after decanting.
Palate: This wine is medium to medium-plus body with a smooth, thicker mouthfeel. Medium-plus intensity flavours of ripe raspberries, juicy black berries, black plums, and touches of char, mace, and oak. Pepperiness from the mid-palate to the finish. No change to the body, flavours, tannins, or acidity after decanting.
Finish: Medium-plus to long-length finishing with juicy berries, ripe raspberries, and black plum flavours plus a touch of mace. The pepperiness is more intense toward the finish. No change to the finish after decanting.
A quality wine with enjoyable black fruit aromas and flavours. Balanced acidity and tannins. No need to decant. Open and enjoy.
Rating: 
The M. Chapoutier Belleruche Côtes-du-Rhône 2023 shows a deep garnet colour and opens with aromas of ripe raspberries, black berries, black plums, black pepper, and woody notes, accented by touches of oak and mace. The palate is medium to medium-plus in body with a smooth, thicker texture, delivering ripe raspberries, juicy black berries, and black plum flavours layered with hints of char, oak, and spice, with pepperiness building through the mid-palate. It finishes medium-plus to long with berry fruit, raspberry, black plum, mace, and an increasingly intense peppery character.
Where Can I Buy These Wines?
Both wines are available to purchase at BC Liquor stores:
- M. Chapoutier Belleruche Cotes-du-Rhone 2023
- Famille Sichel Chateau Daviaud 2022 (only available at BCL stores)
The M. Chapoutier Belleruche Cotes-du-Rhone 2023 is also available at select Everything Wine stores.
