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.
Wine Spectator, 91 points: Aromas of mineral blackberry and licorice lead to a full body with lots of racy tannins and a long flavorful finish. There's plenty of character with a polished refined style yet tannic. Best after 2011. 9830 cases made...
View From The Cellar, 96 points: Christian Moueix explained that 2011 was the first vintage where the harvesting was organized here to target old vines of a similar age to be picked together, as he went along with the harvesters pointing out which...
Vinous, 96 points: The 2014 Pavie Macquin is just as sensual from bottle as it was from barrel. Silky, gracious and expressive, the 2014 has it all. Black cherry, plum, smoke, mocha and a host of dark-toned flavors all blossom in the glass...
Jancis Robinson's Purple Pages, 93 points: Luminous copper. Full and round and very opulent. Round and full and clean and open on the nose. Though not desperately subtle. More almonds on the nose. Very round, not especially complex but clean and bumptious and...
jamessuckling.com, 93 points: Attractive red berries and light licorice notes with a lick of iodine lead to a palate that has plenty of red-fruit and -licorice flavors. Smoothly groomed tannins and a fresh cherry-pip finish. Try from 2020.
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 96 points: The 2012 is another truly great wine from Troplong Mondot. It’s always sentimental to taste this wine, realizing that proprietress Christine Valette (the larger-than-life heart and soul behind this estate) has passed...
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 90 points: The 1999 Haut Bergey is a classic Graves. It is extraordinarily complex aromatically, light on its feet in the mouth as well as a model of elegance and symmetry. The color is dark ruby, and the splendid nose reveals notes...
Vinous, 92 points: The 2014 Siran has a fresh nose with mint, fennel and sage infusing the black fruit. It gains delineation with time, that mint note ebbing away. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannin. There is a pleasant...
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 94 points: 94+ Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2016 Grand-Pontet features bright, vibrant kirsch, warm redcurrants, blackberries and wild blueberries notions with hints of tobacco, tilled soil and underbrush. Medium to...
Wine Spectator, 92 points: Exotically perfumed violet and rose petals burst on your palate, accompanied by dried apricot, lemon and honey flavors. Gorgeous and subtle, glowing on the finish.
jamessuckling.com, 94 points: This has a captivating interplay of depth and elegance. On the nose, it has very pure fresh raspberry and red plums set in a smoothly arranged, plush layered bed of ripe tannins that carry long blackberry and mulberry...
Showing 15 of 415 wines
Dear Customer We are having problems processing your request. Please contact our sales office between 9 AM and 5 PM (PST) for further assistance at 1.888.859.4637.
Great prices, selection, and service.
-Dave V., March 2019
Please, close this tab