Maison Duhard Baron des Chartrons 2012 Bordeaux (France)

When it comes to value—and who doesn’t need a little break in January?—look for Bordeaux blends. There are many around the $10-12 mark that have characteristics of the larger houses and are good, solid reds for casual dinners and winter fare.

The Maison Duhard Baron des Chartrons 2012 Bordeaux (Saint-Emilion) is a dark, dark ruby blend of 60 percent Merlot and 40 percent Cabernet Sauvignon. It has a fruity nose with blackberry and leather.

I get the blackberry and a slight taste of cherry at first. It’s a little dry with some heat/spice, then flavors of tobacco and coffee. There’s a little earth in the middle somewhere, too. It makes me think of a library or den or the French countryside on a blustery evening.

This bottle is not a complex Bordeaux, which makes it a good choice for casual fare: burgers, stew, and, yes, grilled cheese. When I tasted this with my grilled cheese sandwich the spice came forward, as did the cherry and blackberry. It’s warm going down, and the tannins cut through the fattiness of the cheese, smoothing everything out. Try it with a burger with bleu cheese and mushrooms. Cab is a classic pairing with bleu cheese, and the mushrooms will bring out some of the spice and earth.

Hungry for grilled cheese? Check out the “Soul” page here for this month’s “Comfort Food” series.