It’s that time of year again. Some revel in the crunchy, falling leaves, some dive into an abyss of pumpkin spice. But for wine lovers it’s time for our yearly pilgrimage to the BCL to satisfying that vinous craving that only Bordeaux can scratch. The annual Bordeaux release (of the 2021 vintage) is this Saturday, September 28th and while we’re unlikely to see the mayhem and crowds that have typified past releases, that’s not such a bad thing, right?

First the good news: prices are pretty stable, even down for some bottles, which is a victory given how inflation has been effecting most consumable sectors. The bad? The lower prices are in part to the critics not oohing and ahhing over this vintage they way they did for the 2018-2020 vintages. But honestly, I’m charmed by the cross section of the vintage I tasted. Bordeaux is one of the wealthiest wine regions in the world (at least the Chateaux at the release are) so they don’t need any cheerleading, but this vintage harkens back to some beauties from decades past where finesse was valued over power and alcohol levels were a bit more subdued. There’s nothing wrong with expressive fruit, but for my money California is a better source for such largesse.

The other proviso is that I’m always a bit wary of the vintages that immediately capture the critics fancy. They can be like that person you meet at a party who’s larger than life and super enticing—sometimes that ball of energy becomes your lifelong friend, but sometimes they’re just that fun person you met at a party. 2021 may be standing off to the side, but I think they’re worth getting to know. Here are a few standouts.

Chateau Haut-Bailly, $275

This one is a bit tricky. The easy part? The wine is wonderful: a enticing nose, a lovely structure that’s solid but not imposing (i.e. you could drink this now if you were so inclined) and some intriguing ripe blackberry with some lifted, fresh green herbs. I just wish it weren’t so expensive for a wine that few outside of the wine world are super familiar with. That being said, I’d much prefer this bottle to that of their neighbour, the more recognized Smith Haut Lafitte, which is $300. But my guess is I’d rather have that of their other neighbour Domaine de Chevalier at $180. But the juice on the HB? Amazing.

Chateau Chasse Spleen $80

I feel like people didn’t love this wine at the tasting—there was talk of the dreaded “green-ness”—but I was generally a fan The nose was expressive and in the glass it embodied that throwback nostalgia of Bordeaux of yesteryear and yes, there was more “freshness” (a term I prefer to “green-ness”) than in many of the wines, but still ample, polished fruit. Plus, this is a historic estate and forgive me from being a philistine, but with a well-regarded reputation and a recognizable label. 85% of the people will think you spent more on this than the Haut-Bailly so if that’s one of your considerations, this is a solid option.

Chateau D’Issan $150

This was talked about as one of the “deals” and I agree. This is classic Margaux—floral, finesse, more elegance than power. There’s not a huge amount of oomph here, but oomph is overrated and this is drinking lovely almost out of the gate. Add to that a historic estate who abuts Chateau Palmer and Chateau Margaux and is a third growth to boot. It’s a super-compelling option.

Chateau Margaux $1,500

A true stunner of a wine. Almost preternaturally good with nary a weak point from start to finish. And arguably a relatively good deal for its competitive set—but I’d go for a case of the D’Issan if I had the jack.

Les Fiefs de Lagrange $70

Sorry, this wine (at $70) is what passes for my value pick. Let’s get the negatives out of the way: for starters it’s a “second wine,” meaning it’s the Toyota to Chateau Lagrange’s Lexus. Worse, Chateau Lagrange ain’t exactly Latour in the name-recognition department. But here’s the good: it’s a wonderful tasting wine—a little smoky, a little cassis, slightly dusty. All of which to say is that it tastes like Bordeaux and nowhere else.

 

Chateau Grand-Puy Lacoste, $180

Often when I’m with fellow wine peeps I feel intimidated when they allude to how easy it is to tell the neighbouring sub-regions of Bordeaux apart. “This is classic St. Estephe” or “This couldn’t be anything but St. Julien.” I myself am far from mastering this skill, but this offering from 5th growth Grand-Puy Lacoste, really does taste like what I think the region of Pauillac tastes like: first and foremost, pencil shavings, backed and wonderful purity of just-ripe fruit and cassis. Medium strong but very focussed and unfussy. Classy.

Chateau Petit-Figeac $125

Another “second wine” but this time from the St. Emilion powerhouse Chateau Figeac ($500) and then spread in prices between Pere & Fils is much better here than with Les Fiefs. This is my Right Bank choice: a bit more supply, even lush with spicy floral notes on a really inviting nose. For people who like a bit more meat on their Bordeaux bone, this would be a great choice (and given Figeac’s continued upward trajectory a good financial play too).