In our report Bordeaux 2018: A vintage of Superlatives published last week (with nearly 1,300 tasting notes) James wrote that the reds of the 2018 vintage are comparable to those of 2015 and 2016, but in a more exuberant set thanks to the extreme growing season that gives the wines even more concentration. Yet they remain very “Bordeaux” in style. There are many good things to enjoy from both reds and whites in the 2018 Bordeaux vintage, with concentration, structure, and freshness underlined. The average score of 91.8 proves the quality, which is 0.1 points higher even than the outstanding 2015 and 2016 vintages. For the most sought-after bottles from those chateaux in the top tier, 2018 trends toward being a more expensive year, especially compared to 2019. But that does not mean there are no value bottles to be found.
Many consistent but non-Cru Classe wineries that have been producing outstanding wines in the left bank, once again over-delivered at the prices they command, with great wines under $50 and some even under $30. Producers like Sociando-Mallet, Meyney, Haut-Marbuzet, Beau-Site, Lilian Ladouys, Chateau de Lamarque, Potensac, Le Crock, Siran, Haut-Bergey, and Lespault-Martillac are among the superb values from the left bank from 2018, and all scored 94-95 pts. Chateau Marsau and Puygueraud consistently over-perform from Francs Cotes de Bordeaux, an area in the catch-all appellation Cotes de Bordeaux that is easily overshadowed by its neighbor St.-Emilion, which itself is a trove of great value wines.
Below are 12 great value reds from 2018 currently available for less than $40 a bottle (mostly available with a pre-arrival price in the US market) and rated 94 points and up. These wines represent unparalleled value from some of the top appellations of Bordeaux, including St.-Emilion, St-Estephe, Pessac-Leognan, Pomerol, and Haut Medoc.
From a property owned by the Hong Kong businessman Peter Kwok, Château Tour Saint Christophe St.-Emilion 2018 (97 pts) is the best buy of all. Kwok also owns several other wineries, including Chateau Bellefont-Belcier, a grand cru classe in St.-Emilion, and Chateau Haut-Brisson, another great-value producer. He is also the owner of Chateau le Rey of Castillon Cotes de Bordeaux, which makes some fresh, racy, and unwooded red wines with some wines aged in amphoras that might revolutionize Bordeaux’s contemporary winemaking. Chateau Sansonnet is another winery in St.-Emilion whose advancing quality over the last decade shows in its 2018 vintage – a nicely hedonistic, merlot-based wine with density, layers, and polish.
Check out the following 12 bottles, buy in advance and keep them until they are ready to open up from 2022 onwards.
– Zekun Shuai, associate editor
12 Bordeaux 2018 wines for less than US$40
Château Tour Saint Christophe St.-Emilion 2018 – JS97
Available at Zachys.com: $32.99 (Pre-arrival)
Available at KLWines.com : $34.99 (Pre-arrival)
Château Sansonnet St.-Emilion 2018 – JS96
Available at Zachys.com: $39.99 (Pre-arrival)
Available at KLWines.com : $39.99 (Pre-arrival)
Château Tour Maillet Pomerol 2018 – JS95
Available at Wine.com: $34.97 (Pre-arrival)
Available at Fine+Rare : $29 (available by case of 12 bottles)
L’Esprit de Chevalier Pessac-Léognan 2018 – JS95
International Price : $29
Poesia St.-Emilion 2018 – JS95
Available at Zachys.com: $34.99(Pre-arrival)
Château Meyney St.-Estèphe 2018 – JS95
Available at Zachys.com: $34.99 (Pre-arrival)
Château Teyssier St.-Emilion 2018 – JS94
US Price : $35
Château Haut-Bergey Pessac-Léognan 2018 – JS94
Available at Wine.com : $23.97 (Pre-arrival)
Château de Lamarque Haut-Médoc 2018 – JS94
Available at Totalwine.com : $29.98
Château Haut-Brisson St.-Emilion 2018 – JS94
US Price : $26
Château Beau-Site St.-Estèphe 2018 – JS94
International Price : $22
Château Lilian Ladouys St.-Estèphe 2018 – JS94
Available at Zachys.com: $29.99 (Pre-arrival)
Available at Totalwine.com: $34.98
