With a case of Chateau Latour 1990 going for more than £3,000 at auction last month, top flight Bordeaux has long been out of the reach of most wine buyers. And astronomical prices at the top end mean a degree of overpricing throughout, with the result that the whole region has a reputation for poor value for money.
Fortunately, with a massive 66 million cases of wine being produced every year, all levels of quality and price are catered for - from plain, drinkable Bordeaux AOC to the tiny percentage of legendary Chateaux that achieve the highest rank of Grand Cru. In such a hugely productive region, and one with almost perfect climatic conditions for viniculture, there are plenty of bargains to be found, especially around the £10 mark.
And with well crafted, balanced Claret epitomising all that is pleasurable about wine, they're well worth seeking out. Look out for some of the less well known places such as the Cotes de Blaye and Bourg, and the 'bargain basement' region of Bordeaux, St-Estephe. There's some superb value wine being produced here, and with lower priced Bordeaux being ready to drink much sooner than the considerably more expensive Grand Crus (which can take up to 20 years to fully open up), you'll have the added advantage of being able to drink them now.
Chateau Charron Les Gruppes 2001, Oddbins, £9.99
From a property owned by the respected Vignobles Germain family, this great value wine is an excellent advert for the Cotes de Blaye, a region in Bordeaux with a growing reputation for classy, early drinking reds. Merlot dominated, so packed with soft, luscious fruit, Les Gruppes is the Chateau's 'veilles vignes cuvée', made from the oldest vines in the vineyard. Matured in new oak and with a creamy, vanilla richness this is superb value at under a tenner.
The Haut Medoc is not renowned for its good value wine, but this Chateau, owned by the same family as Grand Cru Pichon-Lalande, consistently performs above its class producing some extremely stylish, well balanced Claret. Austere Cabernet fruit is softened by a generous one third Merlot, resulting in a lush, harmonious wine that's a steal at under £15. Ready for drinking now, it'll age well too, lasting a good six-12 years.
Chateau Le Crock 1999, Majestic, £11.99
Cru Bourgeois level Bordeaux may be slightly inferior in quality to Grand Cru, but is usually far better value, and St-Estephe produces an abundance of it. Modern wine making techniques have transformed this region - a greater emphasis on extracting fruit and colour over harsh tannins has resulted in softer wine that's much more accessible when young. Recent years have seen big improvements at Chateau Le Crock too, with a new generation of owners now producing rich, powerful wine of great depth and structure. Wonderfully lush, plummy fruits make this a wine that's perfect for drinking now.
Philip Parkin, 34, is passionate about wine and is selflessly dedicated to tasting and reviewing on your behalf. He can be contacted at freelancewine@ hotmail.com
