For some time we have wondered whether Bordeaux fits into our idea of good value. The wines are in such demand and so heavily prized, which can make them unaffordable to many wine drinkers who rightly ask themselves – is it worth it? Further, many of the more famous Chateaux are now owned by large corporations. We are a small, family business and like to support other small, family-owned businesses.
On the other hand, Bordeaux is Bordeaux – the leading fine wine region in the world and as a wine merchant it’s impossible to ignore it entirely. We’ve done our research and come up with a small selection of wines, which are not only delicious but offer superb value in the global context of fine wine (think Grange at $750 a bottle). The 2015 vintage is wonderful, and a great one for the producers we’ve sourced. The wines display incredible aromatics, rich fruit, ripe tannins and lovely freshness. They are very accessible from a young age when compared to great vintages like 2009 and 2010, and yet have the length and power to last as long as these great vintages.
Chateau Maucamps 2015 (Haut-Medoc) $43 – Beautiful juicy blackcurrant and blackberry fruit. Firm, structured and fresh. The perfect lunchtime claret.
Chateau St Georges 2015 (St Emilion) $58 – A mere 5 hectare estate making some of the best value wines in Bordeaux. Medium bodied with the freshest blueberries and red fruits. Very easy and smooth to drink. Mouth watering at this price.
Chateau Labegorce 2015 (Margaux) $82 – A chateau beloved by the English wine trade for its ability to convey the charm, perfume and power of Margaux at an affordable price. A swirling bouquet of red and black fruits follows onto a rich almost full bodied palate. Blackcurrants, plums and cigar spice and the finish very firm and long. At least 2 decades left in this wine if you can keep your hands off it.
Chateau Poujeaux 2015 (Moulis-en-Medoc) $86 – I have tasted a few vintages of this wine, all of them great, and this is surely my favourite. Full bodied, with the ripe juicy of this vintage and yet the tannins are so fine and fresh. Drinking now, but very long lived.
Chateau Rauzan Segla $220 – Margaux, when it’s as good as this, has got to be my favourite appellation in Bordeaux. Such perfume and fragrance. Blackcurrant, plums, cherries, spices. Rich, juicy and full bodied, this is a colosseum of complexity, power and elegance. Incredible value for money considering how beautiful this wine is.
