The 2025 Bordeaux En Primeur campaign has generated more questions than any vintage in recent memory—about quality, pricing, tariffs, and whether to buy now or wait. Here are the answers to the questions we're hearing most from collectors, with links to the full analysis where relevant.
I don't think Bordeaux 2025 compares to anything else, from the growing season to the En Primeur campaign. Harvests were as early as they've been since 1989 and yields were as low as they were in 1961. The solar vintage seemed to hint at 2022, but the result is something far more restrained. It's with these thoughts that I'd advise throwing all other vintage comparisons out the window and consider 2025 like this: there are a lot of remarkable wines that are very refreshing in style, complex in structure, and at prices that range from sharp to can't miss.
When speaking of Bordeaux, Graves and Pessac-Léognan are often left out of the conversation when discussing the Left Bank/Right Bank divide. This is a glaring omission. Some of the region's best wines and values can be found here—and in 2025, the appellation delivered at every level, from the grand crus to the everyday drinking wines, and from the reds to what may be the finest dry whites of the entire campaign.
2025 Bordeaux is one of the strongest vintages in recent memory, released at prices that may not last. The campaign is winding down, larger formats are going first, and the best allocations are already moving. Here is how to make sure you don't miss it.
Where the Left Bank impressed with structure and precision, the Right Bank was about texture. We spent the first half of our trip across the Médoc and Pessac-Léognan, and the wines were stunning. But the moment we crossed to the Right Bank, the whole character of the vintage shifted under our feet. Where the usual suspects of the Haut-Médoc and the Graves showed depth and promise, the Merlot- and Cabernet Franc-dominated wines of Saint-Émilion and Pomerol gave us something more generous—silky, expressive wines layered with minerality.
The 2025 Left Bank delivered across all four major appellations—but not uniformly, and not in the way recent vintages have prepared us for. Pauillac produced wines of extraordinary density off half the usual crop. Saint-Julien was the steadiest appellation of the entire campaign, top to bottom. Margaux, rescued by sixty millimeters of rain at exactly the right moment, was the appellation of the vintage. And Saint-Estèphe's clay gave the commune a tension the south had to chase. Here is what we found.
If you asked me to describe my perfect Bordeaux vintage, I'd say good concentration, purity, freshness, with moderate levels of alcohol. Balance and full ripeness, but with a sense of weightlessness and texture. That is very nearly exactly what 2025 delivered.
This is a fascinating time for Bordeaux. The wines are as good as they have ever been, and pricing for many releases has fallen to levels that remind us of campaigns from a decade ago. Few regions in the world can offer this combination of pedigree, quality, ageability, and value.
Welcome to Clyde’s Corner! We love hearing what he’s drinking because, after 40+ years as a Bordeaux lover, he’s got a great palate. This week, he’s drinking a 2016 from a brand new St-Emilion property on our roster and a 2004 from one we’ve loved since the 90s.
Read MoreChâteau Tour Leognan has staff member Alex Schroeder swooning for its excellent red under $20! It’s great for tonight, but holds promise in the cellar.
Read MoreOur Australia/New Zealand Buyer Thomas Smith wants to dispel any myths about Australian Shiraz once and for all: it’s not all jammy; it’s not all over-ripe; it’s not all thicker than molasses. When you look to the cooler climes of the continent, you can find exceptional, elegant Shiraz with a nod to Northern Rhône. And he’s got a few favorites for you.
Read MoreGary looks back fondly on his visit to Bollinger in the Aÿ region of Champagne. He met with Cyril Delarue, the sixth generation of the Bollinger family and Denis Bunner, the second-in-command of winemaking, and it was one of the best visits he’s ever had to a big Champagne house.
Read MoreK&L's owner & Head Bordeaux Buyer is an ace at finding great Bordeaux values. This week he recommends the 1999 Lestage Simon, which is right at its sweet spot.
Read MoreThough it seems like a lifetime ago, only a few weeks have passed since Team Champagne was passing idyllic days meeting winemakers and evenings drinking and eating divinely. Scott Beckerley looks back at his favorite part of the trip: dinner with the folks at Laurent Perrier.
Read MoreChalone Vineyard in Monterey County is a truly special place. We have a fantastic price on their 2016 Pinot, and it's worth stocking up by the case!
Read MoreClyde’s back with two lovely 2016s to get you through the week. Both are Haut-Médoc wines that we’ve been selling for many years, both for the same reason: they offer outstanding value for the price.
Read MoreK&L San Francisco staffer & beer guru Jackson Lee considers himself a “nerd of process,” saying: “There’s something so satisfying about uncovering the mystery of how a can of beer ended up in my hands and what went into making it.” This love for sleuthing the origins of beer has made Barebottle Brewing and their penchant for transparency a favorite in his beer geek’s heart.
Read MoreWhat’s Clyde drinking these days? Our Bordeaux-loving co-owner sent me his two picks for the week—both young Bordeaux at great prices.
Read MoreGary and Scott visited Alexandre Le Brun, a do-it-yourself winemaker. The entire winemaking process from start to finish is his, and his alone. They were greeted at his winery by his cat, Ninja.
Read MoreWe plan our newsletter schedule months in advance, and, as such, could not have anticipated the unprecedented challenges the coronavirus has presented. This holds especially true for our friends in Italy. There is no guidebook on how best to approach situations such as this, so we huddled together to determine the best path forward. Do we continue with our plan to highlight the wines of Italy as scheduled or hold off for another day? Ultimately, we decided the best way we can assist our friends abroad was to continue as planned. Now feels like the perfect time to rally around one of the greatest winemaking countries of the world and celebrate the ties that everybody feels at a moment like this. Please join us as we highlight the wines of this remarkable region and the committed folks who make them possible.
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