Post-Covid, French wines offer better value and more choice. Here are some that are worth buying now. Part One

It is no secret that wine consumption is stagnating or even declining worldwide. In France in particular, wine consumption has fallen by more than 50 percent since 1980, from 120 liters per capita to 47 liters, according to the International Organization of Vine and Wine.

Covid, which banned travel and restaurant visits, was a major blow from which the wine industry is only now recovering. Add to that the war in Ukraine and the disruption of sales to Russia, as well as spiraling inflation, and wine producers are struggling with price increases that consumers do not need right now.

The positive side of all this market negativity is that French winemakers and exporters now sell a much wider variety of wines than ever before, when strict traditions ruled the industry. The most famous wines of Bordeaux and Burgundy – the Prémier and Grand Crus – have had no trouble selling every bottle, but with so much wine having to be sold below that level, châteaus are expanding their offerings and doing so at more modest prices. Here are some examples of both traditional and innovative French bottlings that are worth a look, most of them under $40.

G d’Estournel 2021 ($39). A superb, smooth wine from the northern Médoc, it’s made from a Bordeaux blend of 80% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon and just 1% Cabernet Franc (no Petit Verdot). Its grapes are grown on clay-rich soils, giving it a lush character with a minty nuance. With all red meats, this wine will showcase Bordeaux’s continued refinement. Since Michel Reybler took over the château in 2000, he has been making “G” from cool-climate, newly planted land near the Gironde estuary.

Ducru-Beaucaillou Madame de Beaucaillou 2019 ($26). Composed of 66% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Petit Verdot, this honorable Haut-Médoc wine comes from a 1720 château (whose name means “beautiful pebbles”) whose owners claim that nature is a “subject of the law” and that vineyards are entire ecosystems. Ducru uses no herbicides, and in recent years production has been deliberately reduced from 16,000 to 8,000 cases. This special edition, Madame de Beaucaillou from St. Julien, pays homage to the women owners of the estate for over 300 years, starting with Marie Dejean in 1720, which is now owned by Bruno-Eugèneorie and his mother, Monique Borie. The wine matures for one year in French oak and comes out with a perfect 13.9% alcohol content.

Pagodes de Cos 2021 ($54). I was very impressed with this wine as it is a true exemplar of what Bordeaux should taste like. It has a good dose of dark fruit flavors, pleasant tannins and a citrus balance, made with 60% Merlot mellowing the 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, with nuances added by 3% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot for spice. The wine has been made at Cos d’Estournel since 1994 from 40-year-old vines and is now fully ready to be enjoyed or kept for a few more years. I drank it with grilled marinated chicken and it was a perfect pairing.

Les Lègendes Médoc 2018 ($27.99). It’s easy to be impressed that Domaines Barons de Rothschild created Les Lègendes as a lighter replica of the family’s prized Médoc style without paying a fortune. It uses just two grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot from growing areas on the left bank of the Gironde. Because of its power, the press release for the wine recommends serving it “at boxing, wrestling and weightlifting events,” though I’d rather enjoy the wine at home with a pair of quail or rack of lamb while watching “Gigi.”

Souleil Vin de Bonte Le Blanc 2022 ($17). A fruity white wine from Provence that’s made up of 65% Piquepoul, 20% Terret Blanc and 15% Ugni Blanc, with a reasonable 13% alcohol content that makes it easy to drink. The vineyard’s proximity to the Mediterranean gives it a pleasantly salty undertone, the sunshine brings out the fruitiness and the Ugni Blanc (a grape used to make cognac) provides the tart note. A delicious wine all summer long and excellent with shellfish.

Trimbach Gewürztraminer 2019 ($35.99). I’m not a huge fan of Gewürztraminers because the spice too often tastes artificial and with an oily finish. But Trimbach in Alsace has been at it since 1626, and twelve generations are constantly working to improve their wines. It’s drier than most and makes a stimulating aperitif with cheeses and charcuterie, and the spice pairs surprisingly well with the hard-to-pair Indian food with its own variety of spices.