Bordeleau Vineyards & Winery is owned by Tom and Lisa Shelton. Tom Shelton is the co-owner and winemaker, having started planting grapes on the Eden, Maryland property in 1999. After more plantings in 2003, Tom decided to seek a commercial license in the summer of 2006. With the renewed commitment, eight and one-half acres of plantings were added from 2007 to 2011, including new varieties such as Malbec, Petite Verdot, Pinot Grigio, Viognier, and Muscat. Since that time Bordeleau Vineyards has increased its reputation each year.
I tasted much of their lineup and was supremely impressed. I absolutely loved the Cabernet Franc, the Malbec, and the Chambourcin. And I loved their bright whites.
After having written about them several times over the years, I finally met Tom and Lisa this summer.
Bordeleau Chambourcin Lot Number 9 was my first red. Chambourcin has been Bordeleau's signature red wine for years. Their garnet-colored Lot 9 has a medium-to-full supple body and offers aromas of dark chocolate, caramel, spiced red fruits, and a hint of dark bramble. A big, chewy red wine, this is what fine Chambourcin, when treated like vinifera, and taste like. Excellent!
Bordeleau Malbec Lot Number 4 Bordeleau's Lot 4 Malbec is a blend of several vintages. The wine was aged approximately 45 months in French and American oak barrels. The resulting wine is full-bodied, and juicy like a Malbec should be. Right off the start, stewed dark berries like blackberry, blueberry, and dark cherry, mix with love notes of baking cocoa, vanilla, and lekvar. This is a soft, approachable red, with soft, with layers of of flavors and finished by smooth tannins. Fruit forward and and well-balanced, this wine is exceptional. Quaffable, but it deserves a slower, more appreciative understanding My first taste of their Malbec and it was a stunner.
My favorite of the three reds was the Bordeleau Cabernet Franc Lot Number 6. "This Lot 6 Cabernet Franc is a blend of the selected barrels from three vintages and aged for an average of 36 months in a combination of French and American oak barrels. A small amount of Petit Verdot and Malbec were added to add complexity and to improve fruitiness," states Shelton. Red and dark raspberries, plums, strawberries, and red cherries, are all big on the nose, as this fruit forward Cab Franc begins its journey. The wine also exhibits spice, mocha, and black teas, and black pepper. For all these trumpeting attributes, the wine end of a smooth, velvety note, with long-lasting flavor. A fantastic Cabernet Franc!
I also liked the whites very much. Loved the Sauvignon Blanc, Unoaked Chardonnay, and the Pinot Gris. Terrific brightness and refreshing palates. All were excellent. Go see Tom and Lisa and try these wines ASAP!