It was finally time to try the Chateau La Commanderie de Saint-Genis Bordeaux Superieur 2014, the last of the three Bordeauxs I purchased. I was not sure what to expect because I had very different experiences with the first two Bordeauxs I tried. The first, Chateau Roc Meynard Bordeaux Superieur 2014, started off harsh and astringent. However, it became enjoyable after it was allowed to breathe for 30 to 60 minutes. The second, Chateau Tour Prignac Medoc 2014, was balanced and easy drinking right from the start.
I purchased the Chateau La Commanderie primarily to serve as a comparison to the Chateau Roc Meynard and the Chateau Tour Prignac. My choice was based on information I found on the label and the price:
- Label information:
- Blend 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot – Left Bank style that I thought would be fun to compare with the Chateau tour Prignac Medoc.
- Bordeaux Superieur – same appellation as Chateau Roc Meynard
- 2014 Vintage – the same year as the other wines.
- Price – $17.99. The price was lower than my $20/bottle price limit and in between the prices of the other selections.
Other Information that did not factor into the buying decision: The product was produced by S.C.E.A Pesa and brought into the country by Misa Imports.
Tasting
On my first sip I tasted berries and plum. It was not as dry as I thought it would be for something that was primarily Cabernet. Maybe that was the effect of the Merlot portion of the blend? It was not very acidic or astringent either. The wine did not give the impression it needed to breathe.
5-10 minutes later it was pretty much the same. This wine had more body than the Chateau Tour Prignac. I did get more spice at this point. It was nice but not as interesting as the first two Bordeauxs I tried.
I had the La Commanderie with dinner, steak au poivre and roasted potatoes. The pairing went very well. I had about 3 glasses that night and decided to save the rest for the next day.
Day 2
I found the wine kept well although it felt a touch flatter. Nothing special but nothing offensive either.
Professional vs Vinoexperiment
I could not find any professional reviews of this wine. I did find a few ratings on vivino.com. Excerpts are below:
“Very nice if very young Bordeaux. Left bank, a simple blend of 75% CS 25% Merlot. Terrific bright fruits and delicate balance, pleasant structural mouthfeel of medium tannins and medium acidity. Great value in the $12 range” Dec 2016
“Dry and fruity with the some interesting flavor” Nov 2016
“Berries on suede and a vanilla touch on white pepper. Left bank red which works well for the Cabernet lovers. Will age very well” May 2017
Source: https://www.vivino.com/wineries/la-commanderie-de-saint-genis/wines/bordeaux-superieur-2014
Conclusion
Chateau La Commanderie de Saint-Genis was OK. It was smooth but not very interesting, at least compared to the first two Bordeauxs I tried. It’s a safe choice but I’m not sure if I would buy this wine again. I think there are a lot of options that will offer a similar profile at a better value.
The Vino Experiment 
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