Every cuvée we cover tagged elegant, narrowed to Bordeaux. 57 cuvées.
Dry · Medium-bodied · High acidity · Elegant · Refreshing
White wine of Mouton Rothschild from 7 hectares of sandy-gravelly soils, reviving a historic Medoc tradition. Rich and complex; Sauvignon Blanc provides drive while Semillon adds texture; partial barrel fermentation contributes subtle vanilla without overwhelming fruit.
Dry · Full-bodied · Medium tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Bold
Not a second wine but a distinct cuvée emphasising freshness and fruit intensity over the grand vin's power: Margaux character with more immediate expression, distinguished by its energy and precision.
Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · Medium acidity · Elegant · Bold
The prestige selection of Chateau de la Riviere, sourced exclusively from the estate's oldest Merlot vines in a single 1.5-hectare plot and aged entirely in new French oak. Produced only in the best vintages; a luxury expression of Fronsac terroir.
Dry · Medium-bodied · Medium acidity · Elegant · Refreshing
Single-plot Semillon from 75-year-old vines in a three-hectare block; the house premium white. Dry and elegant with the waxy, textured Semillon character that recalls white Pessac-Leognan at a fraction of the price. Anne Krebiehl MW-praised.
Dry · Medium-bodied · High acidity · Refreshing · Elegant
Historically one of the first white wines produced by a Grand Cru Classe in the Medoc. Primarily Sauvignon Blanc driven with Semillon body; partially barrel-fermented but retains freshness through tank-vinified component.
Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Contemplative
The second wine of Lafite shares the elegance and lead-pencil signature of the grand vin but with a higher Merlot component lending earlier approachability. Floral aromatic lift distinguishes it from heavier second wines.
Dry · Medium-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Contemplative
The second wine of Ausone, sourced from the youngest Cabernet Franc and Merlot vines on the same limestone hillside. Crisp, elegant and unmistakably mineral, with a fruity register that opens earlier than the grand vin.
Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · Medium acidity · Bold · Elegant
Merlot and Cabernet Franc from 27 classified hectares at the foot of Saint-Emilion's slope. Generous, opulent and structured, with dark cherry, violets and cedar complexity; certified organic from the 2021 vintage.
Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant
From just 7 hectares of steep limestone slopes, Ausone is a wine of concentration, precision and mineral tension. Cabernet Franc dominates, giving iron-rich structure, dried-flower fragrance and an extraordinary seamless finish.
Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · Medium acidity · Elegant · Contemplative
From 16.5 hectares of ancient underground cellars carved into the limestone of Saint-Emilion's plateau, Beau-Sejour Becot offers silk and velvet textures with floral aromatics, dark fruits and a crushed-stone mineral lift. Recent vintages show increasing use of amphora for freshness.
Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · Medium acidity · Contemplative · Elegant
Premier Grand Cru Classe B from the Saint-Emilion limestone plateau. Owned by the Wertheimer family (Chanel), Canon produces Merlot-dominant blends of great classical finesse and ageing capacity, with cedar, mint and graphite precision.
Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · Medium acidity · Contemplative · Elegant
Cabernet Franc-dominant Saint-Emilion of breathtaking silkiness: violets and graphite on the nose, an opulent yet precise palate of black cherry and tobacco, seamless tannin structure and a finish of uncommon length.
Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Bold · Elegant
The most distinctive of the Saint-Estephe grands crus classés, with an unmistakable oriental spice and incense aromatic signature absent in Pauillac wines. Merlot-rich for Saint-Estephe, delivering seductive suppleness alongside the appellation's characteristic mineral-tannic power.
Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant
The most Cabernet-dominant Right Bank premier cru in Bordeaux: near-equal thirds of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Promoted to Premier Grand Cru Classe A in 2022. Combines peony and iris fragrance with electric energy, grainy Cabernet tannin and remarkable mineral length.
Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · Medium acidity · Contemplative · Elegant
Merlot-led first-growth Pessac-Leognan red combining cassis and graphite with earthy tobacco and cedar. Velvety tannins and exceptional length set it apart from Medoc peers.
Dry · Full-bodied · High acidity · Elegant · Contemplative
One of the world's rarest and most sought-after dry whites, Haut-Brion Blanc blends Semillon richness with Sauvignon Blanc precision. White peach, orange blossom, and mineral salinity build to a honeyed, lingering finish.
Dry · Full-bodied · High acidity · Elegant · Contemplative
Originally sold as Laville Haut-Brion until 2009, this is among the most complex dry whites of Bordeaux. Semillon richness and Sauvignon Blanc freshness fuse with 100% new oak to produce a wine of extraordinary mineral precision and creamy depth.
Dessert · Full-bodied · High acidity · Elegant · Festive
Among the finest Premier Cru Classe Sauternes, with an exceptionally high Semillon content (up to 100% in some vintages) that delivers an unusually pure, concentrated expression of noble rot. Pineapple, candied citrus, honeycomb, and powdered ginger with vivid acidity; the 2013 renaissance under Silvio Denz transformed quality.
Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant
The archetype of Pauillac first-growth: Cabernet-dominant, with penetrating lead pencil and cassis aromatics, precise fine-grained tannins, and a finish that evolves over decades.
Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant
Unique Pomerol with an equal Cabernet Franc-Merlot split giving a perfumed floral lift and structural precision rarely seen in the appellation. Biodynamic farming since 2014; produced from just 4.5 hectares on the Pomerol plateau.
Dry · Full-bodied · High acidity · Elegant · Refreshing
A classified Graves white from one of Bordeaux's most historic estates. Sauvignon Blanc leads with fresh pink grapefruit and lime blossom; Semillon adds body and Sauvignon Gris a distinctive floral note. 100% new oak fermentation produces a rich, mineral, long-lived dry white.
Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Contemplative
Known for its silky texture and unusually high 32% Merlot for a Left Bank estate, Pichon Lalande bridges the power of Pauillac with a suppleness and perfume reminiscent of Margaux. Louis Roederer ownership since 2006 has brought further precision.
Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Bold · Elegant
Pauillac second-growth with an unusually high Cabernet Sauvignon proportion for the appellation. AXA Millesimes' investment since 1987 has lifted consistency dramatically; the 2022 vintage drew especially strong critical praise in bottle.
Dessert · Full-bodied · High acidity · Elegant · Contemplative
One of the most consistent Premier Cru Classe Sauternes, with Rieussec's distinctive high Semillon content yielding a wine of great concentration and rich tropical fruit. Honey-drenched pineapple, orange, mango, and caramel with vibrant acidity and a very long finish.
Dry · Full-bodied · High acidity · Elegant · Refreshing
A consistently top-rated Pessac-Leognan white dominated by Sauvignon Blanc with distinctive Sauvignon Gris character. Honeyed grapefruit, crushed stone, and elderflower on the nose; vibrant citrus and mineral freshness on the palate. Frequently earns 95-98 points in recent vintages.
Dessert · Full-bodied · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant
The world's most celebrated botrytised sweet wine; the sole Premier Cru Superieur in the 1855 Sauternes classification. Semillon-dominant with intense noble-rot character: beeswax, saffron, apricot, and honey balanced by electric acidity. Ages for decades and improves for 50 or more years in great vintages.
Dry · Full-bodied · Medium tannin · High acidity · Rustic · Savoury
The benchmark Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel of Moulis: Cabernet-dominant with dark fruit, pencil lead and licorice, offering genuine structure and ageing potential well beyond its humble classification.
Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant
Archetype of refined Saint-Julien: cassis and dark cherry on a bed of Gunzian gravel minerality, with perfectly integrated silky tannins and an exceptionally lengthy finish.
Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant
Timeless Saint-Julien classic: a Cabernet-dominant blend with classic Médoc pencil shavings, licorice and cassis, built for patience with rich powdery tannins.
Dry · Full-bodied · High tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Romantic
The most perfumed of the Médoc first growths: haunting floral aromatics of roses and violets above a core of concentrated cassis, extraordinary saline minerality, and tannins demanding decades of patience.
Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant
Classified Third Growth performing at first-growth level: extraordinary richness from an unusually high Merlot proportion, with Thomas Duroux's biodynamic conversion delivering added aromatic complexity and freshness.
Dry · Medium-bodied · Medium tannin · Medium acidity · Elegant · Savoury
A revived Fifth Growth finding its stride under the Merlaut family: Cabernet-forward Haut-Médoc structure with dark fruit, cedar and characteristic menthol freshness from deep gravel soils near Saint-Julien.
Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Contemplative
A cuvée in its own right rather than a simple second wine: structured Saint-Julien Cabernet with its own distinct terroir personality from western parcels of the estate, offering outstanding value relative to the grand vin.
Dry · Medium-bodied · High acidity · Elegant · Refreshing
One of the most prestigious white Bordeaux wines from Saint-Estephe, produced from a 10-hectare dedicated white wine parcel. Fresh, vibrant, and barrel-fermented; the Sauvignon Blanc drive and Semillon texture achieve remarkable complexity.
Dry · Medium-bodied · Medium tannin · Medium acidity · Easygoing · Elegant
Second wine of Chateau Canon (formerly Clos Canon, rebranded Croix Canon from the 2012 vintage). Elegant, medium-bodied with mint, cherry and floral character; structured enough for 10+ years but designed for earlier pleasure.
Dry · Full-bodied · High tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant
One of the great super-seconds of Bordeaux: extraordinarily concentrated cassis fruit with almost first-growth precision, dense tannins demanding patient cellaring of 15 or more years.
Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant
100% Cabernet Franc from two old-vine parcels aged 65-100 years at the pied de cote. Produced in tiny quantities (5-9 barriques) only in exceptional vintages, this is a monument to the iron-mineral potential of old Cabernet Franc on Saint-Emilion limestone.
Dry · Medium-bodied · Medium tannin · Medium acidity · Savoury · Elegant
The second wine of La Mission Haut-Brion, incorporating grapes from younger vines and since 2006 from the former La Tour Haut-Brion vineyard. Shares the Talence gravel terroir; accessible dark fruit with cedar and spice, drinkable earlier than the grand vin.
Dessert · Full-bodied · High acidity · Elegant · Festive
The second sweet wine of Lafaurie-Peyraguey, sharing the estate's Bommes terroir and high Semillon content. White peach, apricot, and lemon cream notes lead a direct, energetic palate with mellow sweetness balanced by lively acidity. More accessible in youth than the grand vin.
Dry · Full-bodied · Medium tannin · Medium acidity · Elegant · Bold
Powerful and silky with aromatic richness; introduces the Borie house style at an accessible level with plush berry fruit and balanced oak spice.
Dry · Medium-bodied · Firm tannin · Medium acidity · Elegant · Savoury
The second red of Haut-Brion, renamed from Bahans Haut-Brion in 2007. Merlot-dominated in most vintages with the same Pessac terroir as the grand vin, but more approachable in youth, showing red plum, blueberry, and mineral freshness.
Dry · Medium-bodied · Medium tannin · Medium acidity · Elegant · Easygoing
The second wine of Cheval Blanc: same terroir and typicity as the grand vin but in a more accessible, forward style. Charming black-fruit and cedar profile, silky tannins, and an earlier drinking window.
Dry · Medium-bodied · High acidity · Refreshing · Elegant
Barrel-fermented Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon blend from Cheval Blanc's estate, classified as Bordeaux Blanc since Saint-Emilion AOC prohibits white varieties. Elegant citrus and flint profile with saline length.
Dry · Medium-bodied · Medium tannin · Medium acidity · Easygoing · Elegant
The official second wine of Léoville-Las Cases since 2007, Merlot-dominant for earlier accessibility while retaining the Saint-Julien precision of the parent estate.
Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Bold
Made specifically from younger vines harvested earlier to preserve freshness. Le Petit Mouton shows a younger, more approachable face of the Mouton house style: cassis-driven, with cedar and gentle tobacco, earlier-drinking but still structured.
Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · Medium acidity · Contemplative · Elegant
Micro-estate garagiste Pomerol with supremely hedonistic Merlot character: mocha-laced plum and violet aromatics, a voluptuous, fleshy palate, and remarkable concentration from just 400-600 cases per year.
Dessert · Full-bodied · High acidity · Elegant · Festive
The second sweet wine of Chateau Rieussec, named after the Carmelite monks who founded the estate. Shares the same high-Semillon blend and botrytised character as the grand vin, with apricot, candied ginger, saffron, and orange blossom in a sweeter, more approachable style.
Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Bold
Second wine of Latour from peripheral L'Enclos plots and younger vines, with a higher Merlot proportion than the grand vin. Retains Latour's mineral iron signature at a fraction of the price.
Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Easygoing · Elegant
Premium second wine of Pichon Baron introduced with the 2012 vintage. Merlot-dominant versus the Cabernet-heavy grand vin; since 2020, partially aged in amphora to add minerality and texture without excessive oak.
Dry · Medium-bodied · Medium tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Contemplative
Produced from a separate 0.8-hectare crescent parcel with deeper soils, Les Pensees is not a second wine but a distinct expression of the Lafleur terroir. More Merlot-forward than the grand vin, with the same biodynamic farming and iron-mineral character.
Dry · Medium-bodied · Racy acidity · Elegant · Refreshing
A rare Sauvignon Blanc white Bordeaux of extraordinary mineral precision: gunsmoke, slate and saline drive a taut citrus frame that ages beautifully over a decade or more.
Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Romantic
Exquisite second wine of the most famous first growth, sharing the same subtle power and floral finesse as the grand vin while offering earlier accessibility.
Dry · Medium-bodied · Medium tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Easygoing
The second wine of Chateau Figeac, one of the oldest second wines on the Right Bank (first produced 1945). Shares the same Cabernet-influenced gravel terroir and blending trio as the grand vin but from younger vines; lighter, more refined and more accessible earlier.
Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · Medium acidity · Contemplative · Elegant
100% Merlot from 11.4 ha of blue clay at Pomerol's centre. Silk-and-velvet texture with truffle, chocolate, and dark cherry at its core; structurally imposing yet hedonistic, with a finish that stretches for minutes.
Dry · Medium-bodied · Medium tannin · High acidity · Easygoing · Elegant
Second wine of Pichon Lalande since 1973. Described by the estate as a true Pauillac brand in its own right. Higher Petit Verdot proportion adds structure and spice; the estate's characteristic silk texture is detectable even at this level.
Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant
Pomerol's most Cabernet-Franc-inflected grand vin: 30% Cabernet Franc gives an aromatic lift and structural precision that sets VCC apart from Merlot-dominant peers. Sensuous and silky in great vintages, with decades of ageing potential.
Dry · Full-bodied · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant
The singular dry white wine of Chateau d'Yquem, made only in years when the estate decides against a botrytised grand vin or in addition to it. Sauvignon Blanc-dominant, barrel-fermented in 50% new oak, offering honeyed citrus, white peach, and mineral depth unique to the Sauternes terroir.