Chateau Larose Trintaudon Haut-Medoc ★ 3.9
The largest Cru Bourgeois in the Medoc at 170 hectares; reliable, fruit-forward Cabernet-dominant style with Medoc typicity at an accessible price. Good with lamb and hard cheeses.
Second wine of Sociando-Mallet, a Cru Bourgeois that many critics rank above many classified growths in quality. La Demoiselle carries genuine Haut-Medoc character and Gautreau's uncompromising extraction approach at a fraction of the grand vin price.
Address: 33180 Saint-Seurin-de-Cadourne, France, Bordeaux
The largest Cru Bourgeois in the Medoc at 170 hectares; reliable, fruit-forward Cabernet-dominant style with Medoc typicity at an accessible price. Good with lamb and hard cheeses.
A fifth-growth Haut-Medoc at a fraction of commune-appellation classified growth prices. Merlaut family management has brought steady quality improvements; dark fruit with classic Medoc cedar notes.
Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel from a former Celestine priory estate; 51 hectares of typical Saint-Estephe clay soils produce robust, age-worthy Cabernet-dominant reds at under EUR 25. Decanter rates the 2018 at 93 points.
English-owned Gavin Quinney's benchmark Entre-Deux-Mers blanc: citrussy, grassy Sauvignon Blanc-led with a Semillon mid-palate weight. Decanter 91 points 2020. Excellent value for classic Bordeaux blanc.
The second wine of Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel Chasse-Spleen; classic Moulis typicity with dark fruit and structured tannins at well under EUR 20. An intelligent entry point to the Medoc for value seekers.
The cooperative of 230 Saint-Emilion growers produces Grand Cru-level quality from a wide range of limestone and clay parcels. Their Gallus cuvee and L'Excellence range regularly score 88-91 points at accessible prices.