Bordeaux is undoubtably one of the most famous fine wine regions in the world, boasting distinguished names such as Petrus and Lafite, which never lose their high-demand status despite increasingly eye-watering price-tags.
However, in a region which spans over 100,000 hectares between over 6,500 different producers, there is tremendous value to be found if you know where to look. Thanks to the recent series of outstanding vintages such as 2016, 2018, 2019 and 2020, estates across nearly every appellation and at every price point produced some of their very best wines to date. So now is a perfect time to fill the cellars for any occasion, and we have put together a selection of some of our own favourite value picks from this celebrated region with discounts of up to 35% off, all comfortably under £50 a bottle on the table and all of which will offer an immense amount of drinking pleasure over the next several years.
Super Stable Mates
If one is hot on the pursuit of value for money, there is no better place to start than with wines which are under the same ownership (or in the same “stable”) as the most illustrious (and expensive) wines of the region. While you may expect to pay over £200 a bottle for something as exceptional as Pomerol’s L’Eglise Clinet, look no further than the Durantou family’s fantastic value range from the surrounding satellite regions: La Chenade, Les Cruzelles, Saintayme and Monlandrie, all available today in a variety of formats and for no more than £25 per bottle inc VAT. For those looking to satisfy their thirst for one of the Left Bank’s famed Classified Growths, look no further than the excellently priced Saint Estephe Ormes de Pez, stablemate to the renowned Lynch Bages, or look to our selection of superb “second wines” such as Haut Bailly II, Le Petit Haut Lafitte, or Le Petit Ducru de Ducru-Beaucaillou, all of which offer a more approachable and gratifyingly drinkable option to the more structured and imposing Grand Vins.
Ultimate Underdogs: White & Sweet Bordeaux
Bordeaux may be best known for its long-lived red wines, however, 10% of the region’s overall production is also devoted to producing superb white wines, both dry and sweet. Chateau Coutet is one of the oldest estates in Barsac, as well as ranked as a First Growth in 1855 classifications. None other than the technical team at Mouton Rothschild advises on the winemaking here, producing a fantastic and affordable flagship sweet wine as well as the delicious dry white wine, Opalie de Coutet. Meanwhile the Lafite branch of the Rothschild family boast their own Sauternes sweet wine, Chateau Rieussec, whose second wine Carmes de Rieussec is resplendent with citrus zest and ginger spice, for less than £20 a bottle. Meanwhile, Pessac-Leognan and Graves is teeming with dry white wines that will wow any crowd without breaking the bank with stalwarts like Domaine de Chevalier and Malartic Lagraviere leading the way. The white wines of Bordeaux are so often overlooked, but it would be a mistake not to take advantage of the incredible bargains to be found here.