The Heart of Value is Still in Bordeaux
One of the quiet reasons the fine wine world is struggling is that there are simply too many great wines. This may sound counterintuitive, but the more I think about it, the clearer it becomes: so many bottles now overdeliver at their price point that some of the traditional powerhouses feel less essential. Plenty of cult labels, lacking true scarcity, raised their prices dramatically over the past decade—while some deserved the acclaim and rewards, others pushed their customers to look elsewhere. And that “elsewhere” has gotten so good, it’s hard to go back.
Bordeaux has a bit of this problem too—prices on many wines climbed too fast. But unlike most regions, Bordeaux’s hierarchy is relatively fixed: there’s only one Château Margaux, while elsewhere a handful of producers break ranks every year. Still, Bordeaux shares the same floor-raising trend seen across the wine world—the wines keep getting better across the board, with first-class experiences now available at everyday prices. Unsurprisingly, we have some of the market’s best examples, all in stock:
2019 Latour-Martillac, Pessac-Léognan (Elsewhere $50) $34.99 96JD 95JS I love tasting this one with our team and customers, as it is a head-turner and legit Bordeaux gem that’s too often overlooked. Latour-Martillac made a masterpiece in 2019, with all the gravelly goodness, a fresh and bright palate, and a genuine Pessac that’s simply irresistible.
2000 La Cabanne, Pomerol $69.99 93DC How about some perfectly aged Bordeaux at 25 years on, from one of the world’s most special pieces of land? La Cabanne has turned out beautifully, a balance of sweet fruit from the 2000 vintage, texture from the clay of Pomerol, and a profile that’s perfectly mature but not old, if that makes sense.
2016 Larrivet Haut-Brion Rouge, Pessac-Léognan $44.99 94DC 94JS Another of our Pessac favorites, a deep, resounding 2016 that could easily rival those that approach double this price in the region. I’ve been a fan of this under-the-radar gem for years, and it’s wines like this 2016 that make me want to open bottles so folks can experience the joyful wines coming from this address.
2020 Gloria, St-Julien $44.99 96JA 95VN 94DC 94JS Gloria has been a longtime K&L favorite, and I secretly think that their 2020 vintage has all the components to be a best-ever wine. I can’t forget tasting it at the UGC a few years ago, as it struck me as one of the best wines in the room. Since then it has received top marks in multi-decade verticals and continued to impress with every bottle opened. It’s hard to miss with any recent vintage of Gloria, but I’m doubling down on the 2020.
2019 Siran, Margaux $39.99 93-95WA 94DC 94JA 94VN A special black and gold label for a wine that doesn’t need anything more to shine brightly. For those looking for striking, structured, and well-measured Margaux, Siran has long been a favorite that we go back to time and time again. After their Wine Enthusiast Wine of the Year acclaim for the 2018, this follow-up vintage is just as stunning and special.
2019 Pavie Macquin, St-Émilion $79.99 97JA 97JS 97TWI 96DC 96JD 96RP Pavie Macquin is producing some of the Right Bank’s most impressive wines from their prized parcel outside St-Émilion. Their 2019 release combines accessibility with boldness, offering layered blackberry, plum, and bright red fruit over a long, mineral finish at the best market price. Refined and dynamic, it’s a limited-production Bordeaux with serious aging potential that already feels like an undervalued gem.
2019 Dalem, Fronsac $29.99 94JD 94VN Dalem has long been a standout value in Fronsac, and the 2019 vintage more than lives up to that reputation with rich black fruit, pepper, and stony minerality framed by a lush, mouth-coating texture. Praised with double 94-point reviews, it balances depth and freshness in a long, layered finish that delivers both immediate pleasure and ageworthy potential. Offered at the best price direct from Bordeaux, this limited gem is a top-tier Right Bank secret that serious Bordeaux lovers shouldn’t miss.
2022 de Pez, St-Estèphe $39.99 94DC 94JA 94JD 94JS 94VN 94WS De Pez may fly under the radar on the Left Bank, but under the guidance of Nicolas Glumineau and the Pichon-Lalande team, it has become a serious contender. The 2022 brims with cedar, black and red fruits, leather, spice, and fine tannins, finishing long and rich with both balance and generosity. Full of character and priced modestly, it’s an irresistible Bordeaux that belongs on any shortlist of Left Bank values.
2019 Phélan-Ségur, St-Estèphe $54.99 96JS 96TWI 96VN 95JD 94DC 94JA 94WA 94WS Over the past decade, Phélan-Ségur has risen from an under-the-radar estate to one of Bordeaux’s most compelling values, with the 2019 standing out as its benchmark vintage. Crafted by Véronique Dausse, it layers black and red fruits, florals, and earth with a mineral backbone, refreshing acidity, and a finely detailed texture that promises long evolution. A superb St-Estèphe and one of 2019’s great success stories, it’s a rare find that shouldn’t be missed.