It can be intimidating to move beyond a wine rut, one ruled by the tasting notes affixed to the display racks at the local grocery or wine shop. If you’re curious about exploring wines for which you have little experience or knowledge, the Légende brand of wines makes it easy to experiment. A deep dive into this readily available line can help to increase your familiarity with the wine regions of Bordeaux. Providing a journey through the different terroirs and tastes of France’s iconic wine region, the wines from this Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite) label are not only affordable (ranging from $19 to $55), each is très Magnifique.

A wine from a family of wine producers with a reputation such as Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite) is held to a higher standard, and each adheres to being the best of its kind in every appellation. Long-time DBR (Lafite) winemaker Diane Flamand creates these wines with the same care and attention to detail as is applied to the Grand Vin. She joined DBR (Lafite) in 2004 as collection wines manager, and she now oversees all aspects of grape cultivation and winemaking for the Légende wine collection, the product range of which includes each of the five major appellations in Bordeaux: Bordeaux Rouge, Bordeaux Blanc, Médoc, Saint-Emilion, and Pauillac.

The Pauillac and Médoc wines are produced from DBR (Lafite)’s own vineyards and neighboring vineyards. For the Bordeaux appellations, the technical team selects the terroirs and supervises the vinification of the grapes from partner suppliers.

The Bordeaux Rouge and Blanc are made from selections of the finest products in the Entre-Deux-Mers region. As early as possible after fermentation, the DBR (Lafite) team selects the best batches of wine after successive blind tastings, enabling them not only to ensure top quality wine but also to control each stage of the winemaking and aging. The aim, quite simply, is to produce excellent wines that reveal the freshness and elegance of Bordeaux, and that truly reflects the DBR (Lafite) house style – wines that are not too highly concentrated or heavily oaked.

When DBR (Lafite) created the label, the respected brand sought a name that could live up to expectations. Thus, Légende was born. A hint to the Rothschild family and the rich history of Chateaux Lafite, the name strikes a balance between tradition and modernity.

À Votre santé!