With more than 7,000 chateaux, France’s Bordeaux region is the most important wine producing region in the world. As well as being the basis for Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot-based wines everywhere, Bordeaux wines are acknowledged to be among the world’s best reds—according to experts and amateurs alike.
The wine region of Bordeaux is comprised of many smaller areas and encompasses both banks of the Gironde estuary in southwest France, as well as the land bordering the Garonne and Dordogne Rivers, which split off from the Gironde in the southern Medoc area. Generally, Bordeaux's best red wines are from seven major (and well-known) appellations: Pauillac, Saint-Estephe, Saint-Julien, and Margaux in the greater Medoc region, Graves to the south of the city of Bordeaux—in the region’s center, and Saint-Emilion and Pomerol toward the east. The large Graves region, as well as being the birthplace of claret, is home to many of the best dry whites. Premium sweet wines are made in Sauternes and Barsac, which are also within the Graves appellation but toward the south.
In understanding the multitude of Bordeaux wines, experts tend to talk about the right and left banks of the Gironde River. Generally, red wines from the river’s left bank, especially from Bordeaux’s Medoc region, are based on Cabernet Sauvignon, mixed with varying amounts of Merlot and Cabernet Franc and, occasionally, a spot of Petit Verdot and Malbec. These reds are known to be firm and dry, with a substantial tannic spine, and are frequently austere in their youth. They are also among the world’s longest-lived. The Graves’ gravel and sand soil content contribute to more texture early and roasted accents of hot stones, smoke and tobacco.
The softer Merlot grape is the foundation for right bank wines, mostly to the town of Libourne’s eastern side. These wines are fleshier in general than wines from the left bank and are more pliant. They are also accessible at an earlier age—though the best of them can improve in bottle for decades.
jebdunnuck.com, 97 points: (95-97) Made by Marie Lefévère (of Château Sansonnet and Château Moulin du Cadet), the 2018 Château Soutard-Cadet comes from a small 2.7-hectare vineyard located just in front of Château Soutard that consists of...
jebdunnuck.com, 96 points: (94-96+) Another estate that I suspect has produced a best to date, the 2018 Château Sansonnet comes from a tiny 7-hectare vineyard which was purchased by Marie and Christophe Lefévère early in 2009. The vineyard itself...
TheWineCellarInsider.com, 100 points: (98-100) Inky in color, the purple flecked ruby hue is impossible to see through but upon taste and reflection there is more than what meets the eye. The wine is built around a solid core of perfectly ripe black cherry...
Wine Spectator, 99 points: (96-99 points) Juicy and forward in feel, with fresh plum, blackberry and anise notes. Dense, but still silky and refined in feel, revealing a long mineral echo through the finish. This is so pure, it seems almost too...
jamessuckling.com, 100 points: I am a little bit speechless about this one. I have not seen such earthy and totally deep character of the soil in a young Mouton in my career. Of course, I didn’t taste 1945 or 1959 when they were young, but I have been...
Wine Spectator, 99 points: (96-99 points) Dark cassis, plum and cherry fruit flavors stream through in this red, harnessed well by bolts of iron along the way. Sweet tobacco detail echoes through the finish, which is seriously long. An extremely...
Wine Spectator, 96 points: (93-96 points) Offers lovely fruit, with exotic plum and boysenberry notes gliding along, carried by a very velvety structure. The long finish has a nice flow, showing a latent anise echo. Seems to be holding back a bit...
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 96 points: (94 - 96) Made from 100% Merlot, the 2018 Les Gravieres is deep garnet-purple and rocks up with gregarious blueberry pie, chocolate-covered cherries and plum preserves scents with nuances of violets, spice cake and mocha...
jebdunnuck.com, 100 points: (97-100) The 2018 Château La Conseillante checks in as a blend of 83% Merlot and 17% Cabernet Franc brought up in 70% new French oak, with a small amount in amphora. Yields here were a light 32 hectoliters per hectare...
Wine Spectator, 99 points: (96-99 points) A brick house, featuring steeped currant and plum fruit, scored by tobacco, bay leaf and charcoal notes. A great tug of earth lurks underneath, but there's plenty of fruit to handle it. This is a big one...
Wine Spectator, 97 points: (94-97 points) Features seamlessly layered dark currant, fig and boysenberry fruit, infused liberally with a tobacco note and backed by a long, smoldering finish. Latent energy keeps this going. An impressive young wine...
jamessuckling.com, 96 points: (95-96) The cashmere texture of the tannins is wonderful in this. They are ripe and precise. Dense at the same time, giving a slow drive and a long finish. Full-bodied with dark and pretty fruit. Persistent finish.
jamessuckling.com, 97 points: (96-97) This young wine really sings with a level of purity and precision that I’ve never seen from here. Medium to full body, ultra fine tannins and beautiful red-berry and floral character at the end.
jebdunnuck.com, 100 points: (98-100) The 2018 Petrus is a brilliant wine that has perfection written all over it, and it’s unquestionably one of the most powerful, opulent wines in the vintage. As always, it’s 100% Merlot and offers a heavenly...
Wine Enthusiast, 96 points: (94–96 points) Barrel Sample. This powerful wine combines juicy black fruits with concentrated tannins to good effect. This density and grip lends to excellent aging potential. ROGER VOSS
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