Where Value Lies: First Look At 2016 Bordeaux

BY NEAL MARTIN | OCTOBER 23, 2018

“Inexpensive Bordeaux” may seem like an oxymoron given the exposure afforded to en primeur and those wines that sit at the top of the hierarchy. I stand guilty as charged. Reading through my articles suggests that I pour Petrus on my bowl of cereal every morning. Apart from the fact that milk goes much better with cornflakes, the truth is that older vintages, blue chip names and precious bottles could never be part of my daily drinking regimen since these wines exist beyond my financial means and those of most people. Bordeaux fits the bill perfectly because outside the Grand Cru Classés and their ilk, there is an ocean of well-priced, good quality Clarets that inhabit a very different world than the cosseted elite. This vast hinterland is populated by less familiar names that might struggle more under unfavorable weather conditions and cannot afford draconian selections year after year. Haute couture vineyard husbandry and bespoke vinification is simply impractical and unaffordable. These châteaux cannot shell out for celebrity consultants and struggle to find importers who believe in their wine (through thick and thin.) These properties often fight for recognition. Sometimes their survival beyond the next financial year cannot be taken for granted.

But they all deserve to be an integral part of Bordeaux coverage. They are on the exact same playing field as the superstars. Like any sport, there will be performances that deserve recognition and applause or maybe, that are equal to or even surpass the superstars. You can never predict who might score a winning goal.

This report serves three purposes. Firstly, it represents my first look at the Bordeaux 2016s in bottle. Its purview is the Médoc and the lower end of the hierarchy. I have taken the liberty of slipping in a handful of 2015s and 2017s since they are within the value theme. Secondly, this report includes my annual roundup of the latest Cru Bourgeois classification, which I have covered since its reboot in 2010. Given that this year’s alumnus is the touted 2016 vintage, I have high hopes that the wines will offer rich pickings for Bordeaux-lovers wishing to avoid the prohibitive prices of Grand Cru Classé and who care more about the contents inside the bottle than the label. Lastly, I also take this opportunity to detail imminent changes in the classification and offer my two cents.

Olivier Dauga and partner Cathy Socasau. Olivier decided to dress down for the tasting.

The 150-odd Cru Bourgeois are blended with reviews for recent releases courtesy of consultant Olivier Dauga, which long-term readers will know I follow each year. Barely containable in his lurid pink jacket and yet to come down from celebrating the previous evening’s triumph of France in the World Cup, Dauga presents his Bordeauxs at around the twenty or thirty dollar mark. You could argue that it is more challenging to make good affordable wine at this level than when you have unlimited financial resources, but for many consumers, this is their entry into the delights of Bordeaux. I also include 2016s tasted at Oenoconseil in Pauillac that I reviewed in barrel, plus a choice selection from Dominique Dupuch, the gentleman who runs the “La Cave d’Ulysse” shop in Margaux. He pointed me towards some under-the-radar wines that include a superb Médoc in the shape of the 2016 Château L’Eden and a couple of impressive releases from the Margaux estate, Château Tayac.

The 2016 Cru Bourgeois

The 2016 vintage sees 270 châteaux awarded the Cru Bourgeois classification, equivalent to 33 million bottles of wine or 32% of the Médoc’s production. That is a sizeable figure and an important category for Bordeaux. Bottles of Cru Bourgeois carry an official sticker (see below) displaying the newly designed logo with a useful QR code so that consumers can whip out their phone and gain background information, or alternatively, use the Vinous app to read an independent review!