How to understand Bordeaux wines - part 10 - final summary

Today is the last day of February and the last day of "Bordeaux month."  Using a very broad brush, there are three major areas to search for high-QPR Bordeaux wines:  the Left Bank, the Right Bank, and the region containing Graves and Pessac-Leognan.

Understanding Bordeaux wines is difficult because, within each of the three major areas, there are numerous sub-regions that appear on wine labels.  There are the most famous appellations like Pomerol and St. Emilion on the Right Bank, and Margaux, St. Estephe, Pauillac, and St. Julien on the Left Bank.

During the month of February, we've taken a tour of the Bordeaux region and visited many of the famous and the lesser-known appellations.  In each area, we've identified several typical wines that are priced under $40 a bottle.  Sometimes, you can find the more expensive wines on sale under $25 (our normal price limit in this blog).

What are the lessons learned from our focus on Bordeaux this month?  Here are a couple:

1.  The wine from each region has its own style and typical characteristics.  Within each region of Bordeaux, there are numerous micro-climates that affect how wines develop.

2.  Vintages are very important.  A wise strategy, to obtain the best value-priced Bordeaux wines for your dollar, is to concentrate on the exceptional vintages like 2005, 2000, 1995, 1990, 1982, etc.  There is speculation that 2009 will be another excellent vintage.  The initial results from barrel-tasting the 2009 wines will be available in a couple months.

3.  The French contend that "terroir" is the single most important factor that produces a good wine.  The term, terroir, includes the type of soil, the location (elevation, hillside vs. next to river, etc.), the type and ages of the vines, the micro-climate, and other factors.

4.  The skill of the winemaker and the methods used at each stage of the wine-making process can also have a profound effect on the taste and quality of the wine that is produced -- from the initial pruning of the vines and reduction of leaves through the growing season, to the final selection and blending of different vats of wine from different vineyards to produce the final wine in barrels.

5.  Many Bordeaux wines need time in the cellar before you can drink and enjoy them.  For persons who buy the most expensive and longest-lasting wines from Margaux, Pomerol, etc., should plan on 10-15 years in the cellar and the wines will last for 30-40 years or more.  For wines costing under $25, you can usually drink them soon after bottling, if you decant them and let them breath for a couple hours before serving.

6.  To obtain the best wine for your dollar, searching for heavily-discounted wines on sale can be very effective.  For example, if you like wines from the Margaux region, would you rather purchase a "full-price" wine for $20 -- or a $40 bottle of wine that is on sale for $20?  Of course, you need to taste a wide range of wines and determine which wines you like best because personal taste is most important.  Most times, however, your preferred wine at the $40 price point will be clearly superior to any of your favorite wines at the $20 price point.  Even if you like the $20 wine best, you can buy many more bottles for the same dollars if you can find your preferred wine on sale.

In summary, I find Bordeaux to be a fascinating wine region.  Although it takes some time to get familiar with the different sub-regions, Bordeaux offers vast potential for enjoying excellent wine over many years.

How to understand Bordeaux wines - part 9 - summary of St. Julien, Pauillac, St. Estephe, and Haut-Medoc

Here is a quick summary of the wines that were discussed for St. Julien, Pauillac, St. Estephe, and the Haut-Medoc:

$43 - La Tour Carnet (91 points from Robert Parker)

$40 - La Dame de Montrose (88 points from Robert Parker)

$39 - Reserve de la Contesse Lalande

$36 - Chateau Hortevie (88 points from Robert Parker)

$35 - Chasse-Spleen (88 points from Robert Parker)

$32 - Chateau Coufran

$32 - Belgrave (89 points from Robert Parker)

$31 - Lalande-Borie (90 points from Robert Parker)

$31 - Reignac (90 points from Robert Parker)

$31 - Meyney (86 points from Robert Parker)

$30 - Marquis de Calon

$30 - Clarke (90 points from Robert Parker)

$28 - Du Glana

$28 - Charmail (90 points from Robert Parker)

$27 - Clement-Pichon

$27 - Lanessan (90 points from Robert Parker)

$27 - Conseiller (91 points from Robert Parker)

$27 - Les Grands Chenes (91 points from Robert Parker)

$26 - Rollan de By (90 points from Robert Parker)

$22 - d'Escurac (89 points from Robert Parker)

$19 - Beaulieu Comtes de Tastes (89 points from Robert Parker)

$19 - Beaumont

$18 - Verdigan

$17 - Sorbey

$17 - Caronne St. Gemme

$17 - La Tour St. Bonnet (88 points from Robert Parker)

$16 - Bernadotte

$13 - Haut-Nadeau

$12 - Haut-Belian "Prestige"

For wines with a list price under $25, the best are La Tour St. Bonnet, Beaulieu Comtes de Tastes, and d'Escurac (from a Robert Parker points perspective).  I purchased Beaulieu Comtes de Tastes on sale for $16 from J.J. Buckley, and it was definitely a high-QPR wine IMO.

Of the two lowest-priced wines, Haut-Nadeau has more body and somewhat more structure and tannins, but I think the Haut-Belian "Prestige," with good fruit and toasty oak flavors, is also a very good everyday table wine.  K&L Wines has noted that Haut-Nadeau was their #1 seller among all 2005 Bordeaux wines (and they are a premier wine shop for Bordeaux).  Last year, K&L also offered the Haut-Belian "Prestige" for $9.49 a bottle for their wine club members -- which represented incredible value for that price IMO.

How to understand Bordeaux wines - part 8 - St. Julien, Pauillac, St. Estephe, and Haut-Medoc

This week we'll discuss Left Bank wines found in the northern Medoc region.  St. Julien, Pauillac, and St. Estephe are three of the most elite appellations on the Left Bank.  They are located close together on the west side of the Gironde River about 25 miles north of Margaux.  The large region surrounding these three appellations is called Haut-Medoc and contains hundreds of petit chateaux that produce good to excellent Bordeaux wines.

As with other areas on the Left Bank, there are gravel-type soils at St. Julien, Pauillac, St. Estephe, and Haut-Medoc that are very good for Cabernet Sauvignon and produce wines that are well-structured, Cabernet Sauvignon-based blends with firm textures and fairly high tannin levels.  Many of these wines need cellar time for integration of the tannins, and the wines from the elite estates are among the longest-lasting wines made in Bordeaux.  The taste profile for these wines includes cherry, currants, cassis, and black fruit, with notes of cedar and spice.

How to understand Bordeaux wines - part 7 - summary of Margaux and the southern Medoc

As mentioned earlier, the Margaux appellation contains some of the best and most expensive wines in Bordeaux.  Typical characteristics of Margaux wines include well-structured, soft, silky, elegant, long-lasting, and exceptional aromas and taste.  Some of the best values come from estates that are just outside the official boundary of the Margaux appellation (see previous discussion of the Biturica Group).  Many of the wines from the petit chateaux retain the characteristics of Margaux wines without the exorbitant price tag.  The following wines have been discussed for this region:

$41 - Chateau du Tertre, Margaux (received 90 points from Robert Parker)

$39 - Chateau Cantemerle (received 90 points from Robert Parker)

$35 - Marquis de Terme, Margaux (received 88 points from Robert Parker)

$34 - Chateay Poujeaux (received 93 points from Robert Parker)

$33 - Chateau Potensac (received 90 points from Robert Parker)

$32 - Chateau Siran, Margaux (received 89 points from Robert Parker)

$31 - Chateau Senejac (received 88 points from Robert Parker)

$31 - Cambon la Pelouse (received 89 points from Robert Parker)

$30 - Chateau Belle-Vue (received 88 points from Robert Parker)

$30 - Chateau Mille Roses (received 87 points from Robert Parker)

$28 - Chateau Paloumey (received 87 points from Robert Parker)

$24 - Chateau Bolaire (received 88 points from Robert Parker)

From a Robert Parker points perspective, the best values appear to be Chateau Siran (Margaux) for $32 and Chateau Bolaire for $24.  Note that only the last wine, Chateau Bolaire, was under our normal $25 price limit.  However, I have found many of the above wines on sale with good discounts.

For example, I have purchased Mille Roses for $15 from K&L Wines, Belle-Vue for $13 from Bottle Barn, and Cambon la Pelouse for $18 from J.J. Buckley.  I consider all three of these purchases to be very high quality-to-price ratios for excellent wines.

From my own perspective, Margaux-type wines are my personal favorites of all Bordeaux wines.  If you're interested in value-priced wines that will age well, consider Senejac or Belle-Vue -- these wines have fairly high tannin levels and still need a couple years in the cellar (unless you're willing to decant and wait for a few hours before serving).  For wines that you can purchase on sale under $20, my personal favorites are Cambon la Pelouse and Mille Roses -- wonderful taste, aromas, texture, complexity, and silky elegance IMO.

How to understand Bordeaux wines - part 6 - Margaux and the southern Medoc

This week, we'll focus on the southern Medoc area of the Left Bank.  In particular, we'll examine the famed Margaux appellation and the area to the south of Margaux that includes Macau and Ludon-Medoc.  Most wines produced in Margaux and the southern Medoc are blends that contain a healthy portion of Cabernet Sauvignon along with Merlot and more modest portions of Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec.

From Karen MacNeil's "Wine Bible":  "The southernmost and largest commune of the Medoc, Margaux has more classified estates than St. Estephe, Pauillac or St. Julien.  The aristocratic Chateau Margaux is here, of course, plus twenty other well-known properties.  The soil in Margaux is among the lightest and most gravelly in the Medoc, giving the best wines in the best years a sort of soaring elegance and refinement plus wonderful, generous aromas.  Margaux wines are often described as being like an iron fist in a velvet glove.  It has been this combination of power with delicacy that has given these wines their vaunted reputation."

The wines of Margaux are characterized as being soft and elegant.  They are usually well-structured, with pleasing aromas, silky texture, ripe fruit, and a sense of elegance.  The flagship, Chateau Margaux, produces long-lasting wines of the highest quality.  In addition to the many elite estates within the Margaux appellation, there are also numerous petit chateaux that produce very good to excellent wines.  In a premier vintage like 2005, the wines of the petit chateaux rise to exceptional peaks.  Although the prices of the 2005 vintage are somewhat higher than average (across the board), the outstanding quality of the wines means that, with some work, you can find value-priced gems that represent an extraordinary quality-to-price ratio.

Next week, we'll focus on other areas of the Left Bank such as St. Estephe, Pauillac, St. Julien, and Haut-Medoc.  Most estates on the Left Bank (including Margaux and the others) have gravel soils that are particularly suited to Cabernet Sauvignon which is the major component of most Left Bank wines.  These wines are usually well-structured and have higher tannin levels which promote aging and result in long-lasting wines.  The taste profile for Left Bank wines includes aromas and flavors of cherries, currants, and black fruits, plus notes of spice and cedar.

How to understand Bordeaux wines - part 5 - summary of the Right Bank

To summarize all of the posts about wines produced on the Right Bank, we'll start with the Cotes de Castillon because that was the appellation for 11 of the wines:

$41 - Clos Les Lunelles (94 points from Robert Parker)

$38 - d'Aiguilhe (92 points from Robert Parker)

$38 - Clos l'Eglise (89-90 points from Robert Parker)

$35 - Domaine de l'A (91 points from Robert Parker)

$32 - Clos Puy Arnaud (88 points from Robert Parker)

$30 - Joanin Becot (90 points from Robert Parker)

$23 - d'Aiguilhe Querre (91 points from Robert Parker)

$22 - Puy Arnaud Maureze

$21 - Ampelia (88 points from Robert Parker)

$20 - Brisson (87-89 points from Robert Parker)

$13 - Sainte Colombe (88 points from Robert Parker)

Of these 11 wines, Sainte Colombe is obviously the best value by far from a "Robert Parker" perspective.

Here is a summary of the wines for the other appellations on the Right Bank:

$39 - Grand Pontet, St. Emilion (93 points from Robert Parker)

$38 - La Vieille Cure, Fronsac (93 points from Robert Parker)

$38 - Chateau de Sales, Pomerol

$37 - Chateau Pipeau, St. Emilion (90 points from Robert Parker)

$37 - La Fleur de Bouard, Lalande-de-Pomerol, (89 points from Robert Parker)

$31 - Epicurea de Chateau Martinat (90 points from Robert Parker)

$30 - La Dauphine, Fronsac (90 points from Robert Parker)

$28 - Puygueraud, Cotes de Francs (89 points from Robert Parker)

$27 - Benjamin de Sansonnet (second wine of Sansonnet)

$23 - Les Trois Croix, Fronsac (87 points from Robert Parker)

$20 - Gigault "Cuvee Viva"

Remember that the QPR value of a wine depends on both the overall quality of the wine and the price you can purchase it.  Although sales are not frequent, I've purchased the Clos l'Eglise (Cotes de Castillon) for $19.99 on an inventory clearance sale at K&L Wines (list price $38), and the Puy Arnaud Maureze on sale at Bottle Barn for $9.99 (list price $22).

However, probably the best overall QPR value among Right Bank wines is the 2005 Sainte Colombe for $12.99 with a Parker rating of 88 points.  It's a good, solid Merlot-based wine.  Again, everything depends on your own taste and your own evaluation of a particular wine.

It should also be noted that there are hundreds of petit chateaux on the Right Bank that produced very good wines in the 2005 vintage.  Only 22 Right Bank wines were discussed above in an attempt to provide a representative sample of wines with a list price under $40.

How to understand Bordeaux wines - part 4 - the Right Bank

On the Right Bank of the Gironde River, Pomerol and St. Emilion are the most elite appellations by far.  And the most expensive Right Bank wines are produced there.  The original list price for the famed 2005 Chateau Petrus (in Pomerol) was $2,600.  Along with virtually all of the most elite Bordeaux wines from the 2005 vintage, this wine has appreciated since it was first released, and it now costs over $3,000 a bottle.  Similarly, a bottle of 2005 Chateau Cheval Blanc (rouge) from St. Emilion costs over $1,000 (the original list price was $800).

However, Pomerol and St. Emilion are very small areas, and there are numerous wine-producing regions throughout the Right Bank.  Among the appellations that produce very good (and much less expensive) wines are the following:

1.  Cotes de Castillon - located inland at the eastern edge of the Right Bank, about 10 miles east of St. Emilion.  Wines include:  St. Colombe, Domaine de l'A, d'Aiguilhe, d'Aiguilhe Querre, Brisson, Joanin Becot, Clos Les Lunelles, Clos Puy Arnaud, Puy Arnaud Maureze, Laussac, Clos l'Eglise, Ampelia, Cap de Faugeres, and l'Estang.

2.  Lalande de Pomerol - located slightly north of Pomerol.  Producers include:  La Fleur de Bouard, Grand Ormeau, La Graviere, Jaugue Blanc, Perron La Fleur, Sargant, De Viaud, and Bertineau St. Vincent.

3.  Premieres Cotes de Blaye - located on the east bank of the Gironde River on the northern edge of the Right Bank.  Wines include:  Confiance de Gerard Depardieu, La Croix de Perenne, Les Grands-Marechaux, St. Genes, Bel-Air La Royere, and Gigault Cuvee Viva.

4.  Cotes de Francs - located inland just to the south of Pomerol and St. Emilion.  Wines include:  Puygueraud, Marsau, Pelan, and La Prade.

5.  Premieres Cotes de Bordeaux - located on the east bank of the Gironde River across from Margaux.  Producers include:  Clos Chaumont, La Doyenne, Grand Moueys, and Plaisance Alix.

6.  Cotes de Bourg - located in the southern part of the Right Bank across from Graves.  Wines include:  Guerry, Guionne, Fougas Maldorer, and Martinot-Epicurea.

7.  Fronsac - located not too far inland northwest of Pomerol.  Producers include:  La Vieille Cure, Les Trois Croix, La Dauphine, Fontenil, Richelieu, Villars, Dalem, Haut-Carles, Haut-Mazeris, and Moulin Haut-Laroque.

Merlot is the predominant grape on the Right Bank.  Many wines are close to 100% Merlot.  Other wines are blends -- usually with more than 50% Merlot and a combination of one or more of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, or Malbec.  Due to the Merlot influence, many wines are approachable early and their prime drinking periods end earlier than Left Bank wines that are dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon.  However, most Right Bank wines are cellar-worthy, and some Right Bank wines age very well and may last 30 or more years (especially the most expensive wines).

Most estates have predominantly clay-based soils that are especially good for Merlot.  The Right Bank wines have softer tannins, mature earlier, have supple texture, and have taste profiles that emphasize plum and berry fruit flavors.

For the rest of this week, we'll discuss a variety of individual wines from the Right Bank.  Once again, we'll use $40 as the upper limit for the list price, with the idea that sales and discounts occur from time to time, and it is sometimes possible to purchase high-QPR wines on sale under $25 -- wines that normally cost $30-40.

The focus will be on (1) the superb 2005 vintage, and (2) the petit chateaux that produce excellent wines at reasonable prices.  The goal of our search is to identify the "sleepers of the vintage" -- those wines that are under-the-radar and represent excellent value.  In 2005, hundreds of these wines were produced in Bordeaux, and only a small sample is discussed in this blog.

How to understand Bordeaux wines - part 3 - summary of Graves and Pessac-Leognan

The following wines from the Graves and Pessac-Leognan appellations have been described in previous posts (listed from most expensive to least expensive):

$39 - Chateau Haut-Bergey (92 points from Robert Parker)

$39 - Chateau Carbonnieux (91 points from Robert Parker)

$36 - Mejean Rouge (91 points from Robert Parker)

$35 - Chateau Larrivet-Haut-Brion (90 points from Robert Parker)

$30 - Chateau de Fieuzal (90 points from Robert Parker)

$29 - Cantelys Rouge

$28 - Chateau Luchey-Halde (92 points from Robert Parker)

$27 - Clos Marsalette (91 points from Robert Parker)

$25 - Chateau Rouillac (89 points from Robert Parker)

$22 - Chateau des Fougeres "La Folie" (90 points from Robert Parker)

$20 - Clos Floridene Rouge

$20 - Chateau Leonie

$20 - Chateau de Chantegrieve

$19 - Chateau Haut Vigneau

$19 - Chateau Bois Martin

$18 - Chateau de Rochemorin (89 points from Robert Parker)

$18 - l'Avocat Rouge

I think all of these wines provide good quality-to-price ratios.  From a Robert Parker perspective, the best values appear to be the Chateau de Rochemorin and Chateau Des Fougeres "La Folie" for under $25 -- and the Chateau Luchey-Halde, and the Clos Marsalette for over $25.  But be on the lookout for sales and discounts.  I found the Chateau Bois Martin on sale for $15 and have been enjoying it for the past year or so.

How to understand Bordeaux wines - part 2 - Pessac-Leognan and Graves

The Graves region is on the Left Bank south of the city of Bordeaux.  A small portion of the total Graves region, the part closest to the city of Bordeaux along the river, was designated as an elite appellation called "Pessac-Leognan."  The soil in the Graves region is characterized by small stones and gravelly soil.  The wines produced in Pessac-Leognan and Graves evoke the subtle aroma and flavor of the gravel and stones from which they come.

Only one chateau in Pessac-Leognan, Chateau Haut-Brion, was included in the famous 1855 Classification which designated the most elite chateaux in Bordeaux.  The wine produced by Chateau Haut-Brion is still considered stunning for its flavor, complexity and character.

The Graves appellation holds the distinction of being the only part of Bordeaux where most chateaux make both red and white wines.  Although many wine drinkers think of dry white wines when they think of Graves, white wine is slightly outproduced by red wine.  For red wines, Cabernet Sauvignon is the dominant grape, but many wines include generous amounts of Merlot and/or Cabernet Franc.

Besides Haut-Brion, famous producers in Pessac-Leognan include Chateau La Mission-Haut Brion, Chateau Pape-Clement, and Chateau Haut-Bailly.  Other elite producers of red wines are Chateau La Louviere, Domaine de Chevalier, Chateau Bouscaut, and Chateau Smith-Haut-Lafitte.

In Graves, white wines are made from blends of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc grapes.  Semillon adds richness, body, depth, and the ability to age gracefully.  Sauvignon Blanc adds acidity and freshness of flavor.  The white wines from a noted producer, Chateau Carbonnieux, have a bright, minerally vibrancy and a satiny mouthfilling texture when young, and it develops a rich, honeyed character after several years of aging.  Other top white wine producers include:  Chateau Couhins-Lurton, Chateau Pape-Clement, Chateau La Louviere, and Chateau de Fieuzal.

Unfortunately, the prices of the wines produced by the top chateaux exceed our $25 per bottle limit by a substantial amount.  Therefore, we'll concentrate our search on identifying the best of the "petit chateaux" in Pessac-Leognan and Graves.  Although not as esteemed as the top chateaux, it is possible to find many very good to excellent wines among the petit chateaux.

I'll raise our limit to a "list price" under $40 because it is possible to find some $30-40 wines on sale and discounted below $25 a bottle.  The sales are not frequent but they do occur occasionally.  In fact, when these wines do go on sale, it provides one of the best opportunities for building up a collection of excellent wines.

I'll identify and describe potential candidate wines from Pessac-Leognan and Graves over the next few days.  Then I'll move on to the Right Bank.  It's not possible for me to describe the characteristics of individual wines for all recent vintages.  Therefore, I've decided to focus on the 2005 vintage which was the most recent "great vintage" and for which detailed evaluations are available.  In addition, all of these wines are still widely available for purchase.

There is a French saying, "Grands millesimes, petits vins -- petit millesimes, grands vins."  Basically, it means that, in great vintages, the petit chateaux often provide some of the best wine drinking (for the dollar), whereas in less successful vintages, the prices of wines of great terroirs soften considerably and become more affordable, and you can grab a taste of wines that are unaffordable in the better years.

How to understand Bordeaux wines - part 1

Today is the first day of "Bordeaux Month."  Often referred to as the "King of Wines," Bordeaux is the highest-producing wine region in the world, and it has been for hundreds of years.  Encompassing about 4,000 square miles, Bordeaux runs about 80 miles north to south and 50 miles east to west.  It is bisected by the Gironde River that flows from south to north and empties into the Atlantic Ocean.

The town of Bordeaux, a city with over 100,000 residents, sits in the center of the region on the west side of the Gironde River and just south of the confluence of the Garonne and Dordogne  Rivers that flow into the Gironde.  The area on the west side of the Gironde River is called the Left Bank.  To the southwest of the city of Bordeaux is the Pessac-Leognan appellation which is the elite part of the larger Graves appellation that extends further to the south and southwest.

To the immediate northwest of the city of Bordeaux is a large area called the southern Medoc.  Further north on the Left Bank is the famous appellation of Margaux.  About 20 miles further north along the river are the three elite appellations of St. Julien, Pauillac, and St. Estephe furthest north.  A large region called the Haut-Medoc surrounds Margaux, St. Julien, Pauillac, and St. Estephe.  The Haut-Medoc contains a huge number of "petit chateau" wineries and regions such as Listrac and Moulis.

On the Right Bank (east side of the Gironde River), the two major appellations are Pomerol and St. Emilion which are surrounded by several designated wine areas:  Cotes de Castillon, Lalande de Pomerol, Cotes de Franc, Premieres Cotes de Bayes, etc.  Merlot is the grape variety that rules on the Right Bank.  Most wines use Merlot as the dominant varietal grape, with smaller percentages of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec added for taste and structure.  The advantage of these Merlot-based wines is that they are approachable and drinkable soon after bottling, rather than requiring extensive aging (except for the most expensive wines).

On the Left Bank, Cabernet Sauvignon is the dominant grape, but it usually constitutes only around 50% (more or less) of the wine with the rest comprised mainly of Merlot (but Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec are also used in varying proportions).  Of course, each Left Bank wine is unique, and the Cabernet Sauvignon percentage usually varies from 25% to 75% (although some wines may not have any Cabernet Sauvignon).  The Cabernet Sauvignon grape provides the tannic structure for aging so Left Bank wines typically will last longer than Right Bank wines.

You can find everything in Bordeaux -- from inexpensive bulk wines to the most expensive wines in the world -- from subtle and elegant wines to over-extracted, high-alcohol, over-ripe, heavy-handed wines.  In addition to their "grand wines," most of the famous chateaux also produce second wines that cost a fraction of the grand wines but are usually very good.

The best of the second wines include:  Pavillon Rouge du Chateau Margaux (second wine of Chateau Margaux), Reserve de la Comtesse (from Chateau Pichon-Lalande), Les Forts de Latour (from Chateau Latour), Clos du Marquis (from Chateau Leoville-Las Cases), Les Pensees de Lafleur (from Chateau Lafleur), Haut-Bages Averous (from Chateau Lynch-Bages),  Carruades de Lafite (from Chateau Lafite-Rothschild), Alter Ego de Palmer (from Chateau Palmer), Marquis de Segur (from Chateau Calon-Segur), Le Petit Mouton (from Chateau Mouton-Rothschild), La Dame de Montrose (from Chateau Montrose), and Le Petit Cheval (from Chateau Cheval Blanc).

The big-name Bordeaux wines may last for 30-40 years or more.  However, with extremely high tannin levels, these wines usually need at least 7-8 years of aging before they are mature enough to enjoy.  In the best vintages like 2000 or 2005, ten or more years of aging may be required before the best wines are drinkable.

In between the famous chateaux and the bulk producers are the "petit chateaux," a term that is used to describe the huge category of individual wineries that produce wines in the $10-75 price range.  The top-50 chateaux, that produce the most expensive and sought-after wine, usually produce about 100,000 bottles of wine each year.  Overall, the Bordeaux region has 10,000 producers who turn out over 700 million bottles of wine per year.

Even with the petit chateaux, some wines may be very powerful and long-lasting.  Other wines, however, may be more understated and stress finesse and elegance rather than power.  To find Bordeaux wines that are very good to excellent and cost under $25, we will confine our search to the wines of the numerous petit chateaux.

As with all wines, to evaluate the quality-to-price ratio (QPR) represented by a wine, we will need to distinguish between the characteristics of different types of Bordeaux wines.  In addition to differences by geography or terroir, some wines will be lighter and medium-bodied vs. heavier and full-bodied.  Some wines will show smoothness and elegance, where others will show some rough edges and signs of rusticity.  We'll try to distinguish between big, bold, powerful wines and more subtle wines with finesse and silky elegance.  For example, a light, refined claret vs. a fruit-forward, heavily-tannic blockbuster wine.  Or a rather simple, one-dimensional wine vs. a wine with great complexity and character.

In our search for high-QPR wines, we'll explore the Bordeaux wines according to the four major regions:

1.  Pessac-Leognan and Graves

2.  The Right Bank (Pomerol, St. Emilion, Cotes de Castillon, etc.)

3.  The southern Medoc on the Left Bank (Margaux, Macau, etc.)

4.  The northern section of the Left Bank (St. Julien, Pauillac, St. Estephe, and Haut-Medoc)

I'll start with Pessac-Leognan and the Graves region tomorrow.  All of the descriptions of individual wines will refer to the 2005 vintage which was the most recent "great vintage" and for which detailed evaluations are available.  Three other reasons for focusing on the 2005 vintage:  (1) for most wines, the 2005 vintage was significantly better than the 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006 or 2007 vintages, (2) the 2005 wines generally have riper fruit, more freshness, and significantly more character than the wines of other recent vintages, and (3) although 2005 prices were higher than other recent vintages, the 2005 wines were of higher quality and their prime drinking periods will be substantially longer than the other vintages.  In other words, $25 spent for a bottle of 2005 Bordeaux is generally a much better investment than $25 spent on a bottle of any other recent vintage (excluding 2000).

It should be noted that there are hundreds of petit chateaux in Bordeaux that make good, very good, or excellent wines.  The posts that are made during the remaining of February will try to identify a representative sample of producers from each region that can be used as a starting point to find high-QPR wines according to your own tastes and budget.

The selected wines have been readily available in the San Francisco Bay area, but they may not be available in your area (on-line purchasing options like K&L Wines, J.J. Buckley, etc. can also be checked).  Although the 2005 Bordeaux are disappearing from shelves in many cases, I've recently seen significant discounts when a retailer gets access to a large batch of wine from an importer.  So be on the lookout for good sales.

How to Search for High-QPR Wines

"One of the most gratifying aspects of being a wine critic is discovering those under-the-radar, superb wine bargains ...  The myth is that wines that cost $25 or less are worth just what you pay for them and are never terribly interesting.  This is totally untrue, and with work, one can unearth these small treasures that deliver seriously good wine at remarkably fair prices."  [Robert Parker, "Parker's Wine Bargains"]

As mentioned in the first post, it appears that a sea change has occurred in the wine industry.  As a result of the economic recession and other factors, high-end wines are on the wane.  Many persons are searching for value-priced wines that taste good and where quality is high.  If you can find wines that you think are excellent and that are priced reasonably, so much the better.

In general, the prices of wines reflect their overall quality and how well they represent varietal characteristics.  For many expensive wines, both the quality and price are high.  Similarly, the taste and quality of most cheap wines is usually average or poor.

While high-QPR wines tend to be rare, especially wines under $25, it is possible to discover those outstanding wine bargains that taste as if they should cost two or three times their price.  Here are seven strategies to find value-priced, high-QPR wines:

1.  Low-end wineries - Some wineries focus on value-priced wines.  In many cases, the wines are good or very good.  For California wineries, check out Angeline, Avalon, Bogle, and Clos du Bois, among many others.  For wines that look interesting from these wineries (and for all potential high-QPR candidates), you need to buy a bottle and do your own tasting.  Every person's taste is unique, and you need to do your own due diligence to find the lower-priced wines that you find very good or excellent.  Many wineries offer 10-20% discounts on case purchases.

2.  Discounts or special offers from wine shops - Some wine shops offer case discounts; some don't (they feel their offered prices are already discounted).  Most wine shops purchase large lots of selected wines and offer big discounts on these wines.  I've mentioned K&L Wines several times.  K&L has stores in San Francisco, Redwood City, and Hollywood.  In addition, K&L is perhaps the premier on-line wine store.  If you don't live in San Francisco or Los Angeles, check them out on the Internet.  If you sign-up and establish an account (no purchase necessary), you receive their emails automatically.  Occasionally, they offer what I think are incredible deals.  In response to their email on January 8, 2010 offering 2006 Havens Napa Valley Merlot for $6.99 a bottle, they were overwhelmed with orders and sold more than 3,000 bottles in one day.  Many of the best offers sell out fast, however, so you have to check out the wines and make decisions quickly.

3.  Discounts at retailers - Most Costco, BevMo, Total Wine, and Trader's Joe stores offer large selections of wines at good prices.  Even Safeway and other food stores may have large wine departments (Safeway offers an extra 10% discount if you purchase six bottles).  The big problem is determining which wines are the best high-QPR wines, among the 100's of different wines that are for sale.  One problem is that, many times, the wine has a "list price" and a "sale price" listed on the shelf.  Beware of accepting the store's version of the list price.  I have frequently come across wines where the list price is inflated 20-30% or more above what I know I can purchase the wine for at an alternative source.

4.  Special situations - Many special situations arise that you can take advantage of to purchase high-QPR wines at substantial discounts.  For example, every year around November, Kenwood Winery (Sonoma, California) has a half-price sale.  You can purchase a case of good Zinfandel, Merlot or other wines for less than $100 (less than $9 a bottle).  Many wineries have "end-of-season" wine sales to clear out their inventory of last year's wines to make room for the new vintage.  If you find wines you like that are very good (or excellent) but are priced somewhat above what you want to pay, contact the winery and ask if they have any special sales coming up or if they have an "end-of-season" sale.

5.  Get to know the strengths of your local wine shop - My local wine shop is Bottle Barn in Santa Rosa, California (bottlebarn.com).  They have a great selection of California wines, and they specialize in wines produced by Sonoma County wineries.  Every October, they offer 20% to 30% discounts on 20 or so of the "gold-medal winners" from Sonoma County's Harvest Fair's expert wine judging.  Bottle Barn also has special arrangements with many of the Sonoma County wineries that gives them access to many limited-production wines.  It definitely pays to get to know the strengths of your local wine shop, especially their pattern of special sales.

6.  Take advantage of exceptional vintages - Many wine critics like Robert Parker assess the overall quality of every vintage for every location and style of wine.  For example, for Bordeaux in France, Parker lists all of the major appellations (Margaux, St. Julien, St. Emilion, Haut-Medoc, Pessac-Leognan, etc.), and his assessment of each year for each appellation.  During the past 30 years, the high-point vintages were 1982, 1986, 1990, 1995, 2000 and 2005.  The major advantage of focusing on the high-point vintages is that quality tends to be higher among all wineries from top to bottom.  Thus, it's possible to identify high-QPR wines that are reasonably-priced in the best vintages.  For 2005 Bordeaux, K&L offered a couple hundred different wines ranging in price from $10 to more than $500.  I tasted a number of wines in the $10 to $12 price range and did not find any high-QPR wines IMO.  However, when I increased the price range to $13-20, I did find several wines that I considered to be very high-QPR wines.  The best deal IMO was when the 2005 Mille Roses was offered for $14.99 a bottle (normal price $28-$33).  For Rhone Valley wines, 2007 was an exceptional vintage.  As discussed in other posts, I've loaded up my wine locker with several 2007 Cotes-du-Rhones that range in price from $6 to $17.  The 2007 vintage was also an especially good year for many California red wines.

7.  Research, investigate, study, taste many wines, and make some wise decisions - I enjoy reading about wine.  If I could recommend two books, they would be "Parker's Wine Buyer's Guide" by Robert M. Parker, and "The Wine Bible" by Karen MacNeil.  If you have a limited wine budget, I think it pays to invest some time and effort so that you can make wise decisions and stretch your dollars as far as possible.  You can shorten the process and obtain ideas and summarized information from various blogs like "Good Wine under $20," among many others.  Also see "Parker's Wine Bargains:  The World's Best Wine Values under $25" (Robert Parker, 2009).  But you can't rely on assessments or ratings made by other people -- the quality of a wine and how much it is worth to you depends primarily on your own personal taste.

Summary - It takes time and effort to identify wines you really like that are priced at a level where you believe they are solid, high-QPR wines.  But I think it's definitely worth the effort -- you can easily double the number of bottles you purchase (with little or no degradation in taste or quality) for the same, fixed wine budget.