Starting Strong: New Bordeaux for the New Year
There are more great wines than ever coming out of Bordeaux these days. Combined with downward pricing pressure in the region, it’s a terrific moment for collectors to load up—and for wine lovers of all kinds to turn to Bordeaux for their next great bottle. Our new arrivals exemplify this perfectly.
New Arrivals, In-Stock
One of the sneakily good buys is the 2020 La Gaffelière, St-Émilion $79.99 98TWI 98VN 97JS 96WE 95DC 95A 95WA 95WS, arriving direct from the property with perfect provenance. Double 98-point scores only begin to tell the story of one of the Right Bank’s great modern success stories. The 2020 vintage adds another layer, as it was particularly special in St-Émilion. The same can be said for the 2020 Beau-Séjour Bécot, St-Emilion $74.99 96-97JS 95-97WA 94-96VN 94-96WE 95DC 95JD, which has flown under the radar for a few years but is a can’t-miss wine in the most recent vintages.
Speaking of top-tier Right Bank wines, the 2022 Canon, St-Emilion $199.99 100JD 100WA 99JS 99VN 98DC 98JA 98TWI is about as good as Bordeaux gets—and a rival to anything produced in the region, whether you look at its RP100, JD100, or the seemingly endless critical acclaim. While calling the 2015 vintage the “greatest ever” once felt groundbreaking, the run since then has been nearly unparalleled, and this will be considered the pinnacle for many. For an elite, terroir-driven collectible that checks every box, there are few better buys.
On the Left Bank, two of my under-the-radar favorites have just come back into stock. I’m a huge fan of the 2019 Léoville-Barton, St-Julien $119.99 97JA 97JD 97WA 97VN 96DC 96JS 96WE 96WS: it speaks volumes about one of the great Cabernet vintages, is remarkably approachable for a young Léoville-Barton, and still carries all the classic hallmarks of the estate. I have a feeling this will continue to look like a savvy buy for years to come. And while it’s hard to pick a favorite from the estate, I’m especially impressed with what 2020 Domaine de Chevalier ($84.99) achieved in this vintage. There’s real density and depth to the flavors, yet it remains so quintessentially DDC in character—a wine that will age effortlessly.
New Adds on Pre-Arrival
On the pre-arrival front, the past year has presented some challenges in navigating pricing, but we’re back in full force with an unrivaled selection of the region’s greats. First up is another blockbuster that underscores the caliber of both team and terroir: 2019 Canon, St-Émilion $149.99 100JA 100TWI 98JD 98VN 97DC 97IWR 97JS 97WA. While it may not be as unanimously acclaimed as the epic 2022, it benefits from the outstanding value of the 2019 vintage and carries its own pair of 100-point scores. If a property of this stature had earned this level of acclaim fifteen years ago, it would very likely be a $250–$300 wine. The same can be said of 2022 Smith Haut Lafitte Rouge, Pessac-Léognan $154.99 100DC 100JD 98JA 98JS 97TWI 96VN, a wine that feels as though it flew under the radar in the vintage but possesses all the hallmarks of an all-timer from the Cathiards.
For Bordeaux classics reaching their peak in recent vintages, the next trio is about as good as it gets. 2020 Pichon-Lalande, Pauillac $189.99 (Elsewhere $250) 99VN 98CK 98DC 98JD 98JS 98TWI 97JA 97WE 97WS is clearly a 50-year wine, delivering everything that makes this Super Second a First Growth in all but name. Our pricing is also among the most compelling you’ll find for a Pichon-Lalande of this quality. Speaking of First Growth caliber, 2016 Montrose, St-Estèphe $249.99 100JA 100JD 100TWI 99WA 99VN 98DC 98JS 97WS and 2010 Montrose, St-Estèphe $279.99 100JA 100WA 100TWI 100VN 98JD 97DC 97JS 97WS showcase the unmistakable character of the estate and represent Saint-Estèphe at its finest. Aging beautifully, they’re only getting better from here.
And last—but certainly not least—is the undeniable 2016 Mouton Rothschild, Pauillac $799.99 100IWR 100JD 100JS 100WA 100TWI 100VN 99DC 97-99CK 98WE 98WS. It’s been called “one of the legendary wines of the 21st century” and “one of the greatest vintages of Mouton ever made.” A true bucket-list wine that will be talked about for decades, it stands as a powerful reminder of why Mouton remains second to none.