Full Review

William Heritage

William Heritage
2021 Reserve BDX Red Blend, Outer Coastal Plain

Pair this wine with:
Beef Vegetables

Category: Bordeaux Red Varietal Blend

Date Tasted:
Country: USA
Alcohol: 12.7%
91 Points
Gold Medal
Exceptional
$50

William Heritage
2021 Reserve BDX Red Blend, Outer Coastal Plain

Pair this wine with:
Beef Vegetables

Category: Bordeaux Red Varietal Blend

Date Tasted:
Country: USA
Alcohol: 12.7%
Dusty ruby color. Aromas and flavors of spiced plum, leather, and cherry and sweet peppers with a velvety, lively, dry medium body and an involved, medium-length finish that exhibits accents of red cherry and red currant, plum, leather, and green herbs and baking spices with medium, clunky, chewy tannins and a suggestion of oak flavor. A very pleasing red wine for all occasions that has a strong Right Bank Bordeaux vibe.

Tasting Info

Wine Glass Style: Spicy & Complex
Aroma Aroma: spiced plum, leather, and cherry and sweet peppers
Taste Flavor: Same as aromas with accents of red cherry and red currant, plum, leather, and green herbs and baking spices
Sweetness Sweetness: Dry
Enjoy Enjoy: Now-3 years with food and on its own
Recipes Pairing: Pot Roast, Steak & Potatoes, Beef Stew
Bottom Line Bottom Line: A very pleasing red wine for all occasions that has a strong Right Bank Bordeaux vibe.

The Producer

William Heritage Winery

The Producer
480 Mullica Hill Road
Mullica Hill, NJ 08062
USA
1 856-589-4474

Their Portfolio

89 William Heritage 2021 Limited Release, Chenin Blanc, Outer Coastal Plain 12.7% (USA) $32.00.
89 William Heritage 2021 Limited Release, Semillon, Outer Coastal Plain 13.1% (USA) $34.00.
87 William Heritage 2021 Estate Reserve, Sauvignon Blanc, Outer Coastal Plain 13.1% (USA) $38.00.
94 William Heritage 2021 Rosé, Outer Coastal Plain 12.9% (USA) $26.00.
92 William Heritage 2021 Estate Reserve Rosé, Outer Coastal Plain 13% (USA) $34.00.
94 William Heritage 2020 Estate Reserve Five Gen Red Blend, Outer Coastal Plain 13.4% (USA) $42.00.
94 William Heritage 2019 Estate Reserve Norman’s Vineyard, Cabernet Franc, Outer Coastal Plain 13.8% (USA) $48.00.
87 William Heritage 2020 Estate Reserve Burn Pile Vineyard, Chambourcin, Outer Coastal Plain 13% (USA) $48.00.
95 William Heritage 2019 Reserve BDX Red Blend, Outer Coastal Plain 13.6% (USA) $50.00.
86 William Heritage NV Select, Chardonnay, American 13.5% (USA) $24.00.
86 William Heritage NV Select Rosé, American 13.2% (USA) $24.00.
91 William Heritage 2022 Coeur d’Est Red Blend, Outer Coastal Plain 13.7% (USA) $34.00.
89 William Heritage 2019 Reserve Blanc De Blancs, Outer Coastal Plain 12.1% (USA) $46.00.
88 William Heritage 2019 Reserve Blanc De Noirs, Outer Coastal Plain 12.2% (USA) $48.00.
90 William Heritage 2022 Reserve Rosé, Outer Coastal Plain 13.2% (USA) $34.00.
92 William Heritage 2022 Reserve Grenache Syrah Rosé, Outer Coastal Plain 13.4% (USA) $36.00.
88 William Heritage 2022 Reserve, Sauvignon Blanc, Outer Coastal Plain 13.2% (USA) $38.00.
87 William Heritage 2022 Reserve White Blend, Outer Coastal Plain 14% (USA) $36.00.
85 William Heritage 2022 Reserve Gravel Block Vineyard, Chardonnay, Outer Coastal Plain 13.7% (USA) $44.00.
88 William Heritage 2022 Reserve BDX Blanc White Blend, Outer Coastal Plain 13.3% (USA) $40.00.
91 William Heritage 2021 Reserve Burn Pile Vineyard, Chambourcin, Outer Coastal Plain 13.3% (USA) $40.00.
91 William Heritage 2021 Reserve BDX Red Blend, Outer Coastal Plain 12.7% (USA) $50.00.
90 William Heritage 2021 Reserve Five Gen Red Blend, Outer Coastal Plain 12.4% (USA) $45.00.
85 William Heritage 2023 Reserve, Sauvignon Blanc, Outer Coastal Plain 13.7% (USA) $38.00.
88 William Heritage 2023 Reserve BDX Blanc White Blend, Outer Coastal Plain 13% (USA) $40.00.
93 William Heritage 2023 Ice Cider, Outer Coastal Plain 12.1% (USA) $38.00.
BR William Heritage NV Sticky Dessert-Style Wine, Outer Coastal Plain 18.4% (USA) $40.00. - Bronze Medal
87 William Heritage 2020 Reserve Brut, Outer Coastal Plain 12.4% (USA) $46.00.
92 William Heritage 2022 Burn Pile Vineyard Reserve, Chambourcin, Outer Coastal Plain 13.8% (USA) $48.00.
88 William Heritage 2022 Estate, Cabernet Sauvignon, Outer Coastal Plain 13.5% (USA) $36.00.
BR William Heritage 2022 Reserve Norman’s Vineyard, Cabernet Franc, Outer Coastal Plain 13.7% (USA) $48.00. - Bronze Medal
90 William Heritage 2022 Reserve BDX Red Blend, Outer Coastal Plain 13.7% (USA) $50.00.
92 William Heritage 2023 Limited Release, Chenin Blanc, Outer Coastal Plain 12.6% (USA) $34.00.
87 William Heritage 2023 Limited Release, Pinot Blanc, Outer Coastal Plain 13% (USA) $36.00.
87 William Heritage 2023 Limited Release, Chardonnay Musqué, Outer Coastal Plain 12.5% (USA) $36.00.

Bordeaux Red Varietal Blend

Wine Glass Cabernet.jpg
Serve in a Cabernet Wine Glass
The greatness of red wines from France's Bordeaux region can be largely attributed to the art of blending. There are six red varieties that can be used in a Bordeaux red: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Carmenere and Malbec (this last is rarely seen anymore in Bordeaux).

The reason for blending several grapes to craft the final wine is for greater complexity as well as elegance. Each grape has various characteristics and can attribute special qualities to the final wine. Cabernet Sauvignon is powerful and tannins, while Merlot has lighter tannins, while Cabernet Franc has a spicy, peppery quality to it. Blending these grapes together will round out all of these qualities; sort of a "the whole is greater than the sum of the parts" rationale.

This principal of blending is used in many regions besides Bordeaux, especially in California, were the blends are often given proprietary names, like Opus One, Insignia, and Quintessa. US blends of Bordeaux varietals may also be labeled, in addition to their proprietary name, by the designation of Meritage if they are approved and licensed by the Meritage Alliance.

Blending in Bordeaux is common not only on the prestigious wines from historic estates that cost hundreds of dollars per bottle, but also on the lighter-styled wines that are priced in the mid-teens. Aging potential can often be directly linked to the price of the wine, from three to five years to three to five decades.

Pair these wines with most red meats, games or roasts.