Finding 56 wines that fully represent Bordeaux wine in all its manifestations is no picnic by the Garonne.
For a start, the French wine capital has more than (count ‘em) 4,200 wine producers, 300 wine merchants and 29 cooperatives working across 37 appellations – the highest number of AOC designations for any wine region in the country. Wines can be red, white, rosé, sweet, sparkling, clairet and, most recently, claret and made from 21 permitted grapes. Given the predominance of blending that is de rigeur in wet, humid wine regions like Bordeaux, means that double that number only scratches the surface of the region’s diversity.
"Your mission should you choose to accept it..." Richard Bampfield MW sets out the gameplan to the Bordeaux Selection 2026 Judging panel
This, however, was the challenge for the judging panel of Bordeaux Selection – a 21-strong group of UK wine professionals (of which I was one) that blind-tasted 220 wines to come up with a range that showcases the diversity of the region’s colours, styles and appellations, as seen through the lens of best-value and approachability for everyday drinking. This group of wines would then be used by the Bordeaux Wine Council (CIVB) to promote Bordeaux wine throughout 2026 to both trade and consumer. Simples.
I know a fair bit about Bordeaux, have visited the region many times, buy and own a lot of the wines and, most importantly, drink it copiously. What I found most interesting, though, about this exercise was how impressive most of the wines were at price points I rarely consider. Really well made and up for pouring, no cellarage required.
So here are my picks from that 56-strong Bordeaux Selection – 32 wines, grouped in six sub-regions, that I think gives a good representation of where Bordeaux is today. All wines are UK RRP.
Now, about that picnic by the Garonne…
BORDEAUX, BORDEAUX SUPÉRIEUR AND CRÉMANT
These three appellations cover the whole of the Bordeaux region and are a good entry point. A large community of winegrowers here are producing dry and sweet white styles, red, rosés and sparkling Crémant de Bordeaux.
Château Roc Meynard 2020, Bordeaux Supérieur
95% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon
Terrific value-for-money way to try out Bordeaux red. Generous on the nose and palate, with bags of ripe red and black fruit; nicely balanced even with 15% alcohol, structured and reasonably complex – spice notes and a citrus twist on the finish. £12.95.
Château de Parenchère "Cuvée Raphaël" 2020, Bordeaux Supérieur
70% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon
From 40-year-old, low-yielding vines on this large estate on the Easternmost part of Bordeaux. A voluptuous nose draws you into this bold and rich-fruited flagship wine of the estate, the tannins are ripe, hidden, but provide structure along with the oak ageing. The 15.5% alcohol is well managed, contributing to a long finish. £17.45
Château George 7, 2019, Fronsac
100% Merlot
This fabulously crafted, top end Fronsac is already complex with floral and black cherry aromas matched by a fresh, mineral-charged body of raspberry, blackberry and a turn of black pepper. 18 months in 225-litre French oak (30% new) lends the wine, structure, fine-boned tannins and a hint of cedar on the finish. £32.
Le Merle Blanc de Château Clarke 2024, Bordeaux blanc
70% Sauvignon Blanc, 10% Sauvignon Gris, 10% Muscadelle, 10% Semillon
Top class, premium blend of Bordeaux’s four main white grapes from the Edmond de Rothschild stable. Although it is Sauvignon Blanc dominant, the expert blending gives it enormous complexity as does the partial oak ageing. A lifted and fruity perfume leads you into a melange of flavours – citrus peel, lemongrass, jasmine, gooseberry – there’s a tension here, with the ripe fruit beautifully balanced by the acidity and freshness of the fruit. Delicate, toasty note on the finish of this classy expressive white. £39.
La Quille Clairet 2024, Bordeaux clairet
100% Cabernet Sauvignon
If you’ve never tried clairet (not claret!) then step this way. This is a light red, fruit-forward wine style (it looks like a cross between a red and a rosé) and is best served chilled. This particular unoaked clairet is a great introduction – the wine is ruby red with hints of grenadine, on the nose you pick up cranberry, wild strawberries and herbs; in the mouth the wine is fresh, textured, dry, oleaginous, dry with a touch of tannin and hints of Campari and cream. Just 11.5%. £16.99.
Château Tour de Mirambeau 2025, Bordeaux rosé
90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot
Deep pink to look at, almost strawberry blush, this is a rosé that simply oozes class. A lovely aroma of ripe watermelon on a summer’s day, along with peach and flowers. Fresh and clean in the mouth, the wine has a silky mouthfeel, with some tannin structure and well-judged dryness. For drinkers who are serious about their rosé. £16.20
A de Château d'Arche 2022, Bordeaux blanc
90% Semillon, 10% Sauvignon Blanc
A great example of archetypal Bordeaux blanc. The nose has plenty of Semillon character, think lanolin, beeswax and honey, there’s floral notes and citrus. In the mouth the wine is rounded, oily and luscious, lemon and tangerine flavours, low acidity with a chalky texture creating the balance. Nice fruit density with a wonderful dry finish. £14.95
Château de Piote, Perles de Piote NV, Crémant de Bordeaux
70% Semillon, 30% Colombard
With its very small, fine bubbles and its deeper colour – by sight alone you could mistake this biodynamic, traditional method crémant for a champagne. The answer is that fermentation takes place in amphora, and aged reserve wines are used in the blend. On the nose the wine is complex, with baking spices, baked apples and stone fruit; in the mouth the wine is disarmingly fresh and light with decent acidity and a refreshing, saline lift. £24.85.
Olivier Cazenave Bel Allure Crémant de Bordeaux Blanc de Noirs NV
100% Merlot
Traditional method brut crémant that proves once again that crémant delivers so much better value for money than some sparkling regions we care to mention. Straw gold, vigorous fine bead, aromas of pear, brioche and quince; in the mouth the wine is on the riper end of brut, with crisp apple, lemon, pastry and toasted nuts, a nice creamy mousse helps to round things off. £19.99
BLAYE-BOURG
To the north of the city on the hills of the right bank, this region is known for its diversity in wine styles and modern approach. Welcoming and proud of their steep slopes, the local wine artisans produce rounded, delicately structured, highly drinkable wines.
Château Bourdieu 2022, Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux
87% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc
Fabulously heady red fruit aromas drift from the glass of this elegant wine. In the mouth the wine is medium to full-bodied, rounded and smooth but with a firm backbone of acidity and nicely integrated tannins that will let it age for a few years more. Gastronomic, classy and ridiculously good value, given this got 94 points in the 2024 Decanter World Wine Awards. £12.53.
Château Monichot Cuvée François 2022, Côtes de Bourg
100% Merlot
First cuvée made under new Franco-English ownership of this estate in the hills close to the river. This is a special cuvée that has notes of wild strawberries and spices (from the little oak the wine sees). Lovely balance with medium alcohol of 13.5%; firm, ripe tannins will allow the wine to age well for 6-8 years or pair with a variety of dishes. £16.
ENTRE-DEUX-MERS, PREMIERES COTES DE BORDEAUX, SAINTE FOY
Entre-deux-Mers (‘between two seas’) is the historic heartland of Bordeaux, a massive region of diverse soils and wine styles that sits between the Garonne and Dordogne rivers and is made up of 11 appellations, three of which are represented in this selection.
Graves de Vayres is one of the smallest and least-known appellations (it’s the only one that has a mix of Left Bank gravel soils with Right Bank grapes); Sainte Croix du Mont lies just across the river from Barsac with winegrowers producing sweet white wine in an area conducive to ‘noble rot’; Then there is Entre-deux-Mers itself which spans 133 communes and where around half of all winegrowers belong to cooperatives, while the other half work independently.
Château Panchille 2022, Graves de Vayres
85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc
An example of how good modestly-priced Bordeaux can be – this has a purity and honesty about it – a lovely blend of black fruit, tannin and acidity, lightly oaked with a touch of Malbec thrown in for good measure. There’s a beautiful freshness here delivered by the Cabernet Franc. £11.75
Château Lestrille 2024, Entre-deux-Mers
78% Sauvignon Blanc, 15% Muscadelle, 7% Sauvignon Gris
Refreshing, full-flavoured and remarkably complex given the price, this is a different style of Bordeaux dry white with the Muscadelle bringing a lifted floral perfume and the Gris, a saline minerality. On the nose you get orange peel, peach and spice, in the mouth the wine is ripe, luscious with beautiful purity of fruit and decent texture to hold it all together. Lovely long finish. £18.50
Château La Rame 'Gourmandise" 2023, Sainte-Croix-du-Mont
100% Semillon
Golden-hued, sweet wine from Sainte-Croix-du-Mont which this producer has been getting onto people’s radars as a sticky that is less obvious than Sauternes or Barsac. Luscious, ripe and inviting on the nose it boasts ripe peaches, apricots, a touch of pineapple. Oleaginous in texture, it is silky on the tongue, not masses of acidity but well balanced – honey, yellow-stone fruit, tropical and a lovely length. You could serve this as an aperitif, alongside blue cheese or with some fish dishes – turbot in a butter sauce. Ridiculously low price of £13.50 for a wine of this quality.
GRAVES-SAUTERNES
A substantial and historically important region that comprises six appellations: Barsac, Cérons, Graves, Graves Supérieures, Pessac-Léognan and Sauternes. Many ‘household name’ wine estates are to be found here along with a myriad of independent winegrowing families making a range of wines from distinctive expressive reds to the well-known sweet wines, including vibrant dry whites along the way. Two of the appellations are represented below: Pessac-Léognan and Graves.
Château Seguin 2023, Pessac-Léognan
59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot
Beautifully made premium Pessac – elegant and leaning more to the red fruit spectrum with red berries, damson, vanilla and cedar notes. The palate is fresh, juicy, smooth and so approachable for a young wine. The tannins are powdery, fine-grained, with black fruit, cigar box and a creamy note on the finish. Perfect for drinking now or laying down. £47.50
Lagrave-Martillac 2022, Pessac-Léognan
70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot
This ‘second wine’ from Château Latour-Martillac, is a classic Pessac-Léognan red and drinking beautifully now. Deep purple/red to look at, aroma-wise there’s ripe dark fruits – blackberry and blackcurrant – smoky oak, a touch of tobacco. To drink, the wine is fresh, mellow at first, structured and firm but integrated tannins. Lovely concentration on the finish. £24
Château Brown 2023, Pessac-Léognan
75% Sauvignon Blanc, 25% Semillon
Delicious, textbook white Pessac-Léognan blend from an estate that has been improving steadily since its new owners took over in 2004. Golden in hue, showing voluptuous ripe fruit and a judicious amount of oak ageing. The nose is a complex and inviting mix of ripe quince, yellow peaches, citrus and honey, in the mouth it is fresh and lively with a roundness and breadth but beautifully balanced with a racy core of acidity and texture. Really outstanding. £23.75
Château Picque Caillou 2024, Pessac-Léognan
100% Sauvignon Blanc
Lovely mélange of Sauvignon Blanc’s herbaceous and fruity sides with green mango, verbena and lemongrass up front. To drink it is also well balanced – ripe and smooth but with texture coming from the eight months in oak. There is an aromatic intensity here that could benefit from decanting and, as it opens out, it becomes decidedly moreish. Lovely creamy finish with a salty, grapefruit note that reminds me of a margarita – really quite refreshing. £27.75
Château du Seuil 2022, Graves
95% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Semillon
Graves is Bordeaux’s oldest appellation and takes its name from the deep river gravels that form the basis of this famous terroir. Although predominantly Sauvignon Blanc it doesn’t hog the limelight, the Semillon adding rich creaminess and balance to the SB’s natural citrusy freshness. The wine has delicate floral and acacia honey notes; in the mouth there is a lovely fresh, racy acidity with alcohol kept to a light 13%. Great value for money. £17.99.
MÉDOC
The Médoc is a long, narrow strip of land that sits on the Left Bank of the Garonne and benefits from the cooling breezes of the Atlantic coast on its West side. Between estuary and tides, it features many renowned châteaux and eight appellations. Six of the eight are represented in the selection below: Médoc, Haut-Médoc, Listrac-Médoc, Pauillac, Saint-Estèphe and Margaux. St-Julien and Moulis complete the eight.
Château Coufran 2012, Haut-Médoc
85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot
Château Coufran has been referred to as the ‘Pomerol of the Haut-Médoc’ for its choice of blend using predominantly Merlot. The wine has a soft roundness with supple tannins and an elegance that you don’t always associate with the Haut-Médoc. Available in the UK through Majestic at £21.50 which is an absolute steal for a wine with 14 years on the clock and in such good shape. The aromas tell you immediately this is a mature wine – wild bramble jelly, cassis, some toasty oak notes; in the mouth the wine is soft on entry, medium bodied (13% abv) but with a firm, resolved backbone of dry tannin; mature fruit with a long, complex finish, some earthy, underbrush notes. Classic mature Haut-Médoc.
La Chapelle de Haut-Bages Libéral 2022, Pauillac
72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot
Located on the hills of Bages, a tiny area between Pauillac and Saint-Julien, this is an historic property whose second wine always punches above its weight. It has an elegant and pretty nose offering fine cassis along with fleshy strawberry and red cherry, with a slight hint of oak. In the mouth the wine is so smooth, silky with fine, powdery tannins and a crisp freshness that balances the dark fruits, 13.5% alcohol. Complex, with a beautiful tart finish. £33.50
Rx 2009, (Château Rousseau de Sipian), Médoc
55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot
2009 is one of the truly great vintages in Bordeaux and this is an excellent opportunity to pick an award-winning bottle with age. The nose shows its maturity (in a good way) with ripe, intense, plummy fruit and secondary notes such as baking spices, liquorice root and cigar box. In the mouth the wine has power, structure but great balance, the ripe tannins fully integrated. Full of flavour, this is a wine that I would savour on its own. £29.95
Château Fontesteau 2016, Haut-Médoc
53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 47% Merlot
Haut-Médoc is the closest PDO to the city, is part of the Médoc Regional National Park and an area noted for its diversity and easy-going wine style. Thirteenth century estate Fontesteau, is one of 240 winegrowers there and here you can grab a bottle of mature Cru Bourgeois Supérieur, from a well-balanced vintage,that is showing in its sweet spot right now. Beautifully fragrant with jammy red fruits, the palate is smooth as you like with underlying tension, ripe, structured tannins and bags of flavour. £29.99
Château Clarke 2020, Listrac-Médoc
70% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon
Clarke is one of only 25 winegrowers in Listrac-Médoc, a tiny appellation and the only one in Médoc where Merlot reigns supreme – the result is that wines here tend to be fresher and fruitier than many Médoc wines. Elegant black fruits, a hint of tobacco on the nose, in the mouth the wine is fresh, rich, solid, powerfully textured with a grip that promises more years of enjoyment ahead just as this enters its drinking window. £47
Château Lafon-Rochet 2022, Saint-Estèphe
65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc
Elegance and structure are the overriding character of wines from Saint-Estèphe whose 1200 hectares of wines are shared amongst 69 winegrowers – Grand Cru estates, indies, even a co-op. This example has a stunning and inviting nose of red cherries, with hints of roasted meats and smoke, the palate is complex oh so silky and smooth with ripe powdery tannins, black and red fruit, firm, well-balanced with a dry finish that has a hint of chocolate. Disguises the 14.5% alcohol well. Love it. £31.67
Tesco Finest Margaux 2021, Château Boyd-Cantenac, Margaux
53% Cabernet Sauvignon,41% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc,2% Petit Verdot
Margaux is the only PDO in the Médoc whose 62 estates include winegrowers from all five of the Grand Cru classification, it is also spearheading an impressive biodiversity programme with most of the estates here. The wines typically are elegant and this own-label wine, made by Château Boyd-Cantenac, is no exception. Medium to light ruby red, the nose has mulberry fruit, cherries, bramble, smoke and spices, in the mouth the wine is fresh, easy-going with ripe red fruits, impressive balance and a pleasing tart, almost citrus finish. 13% alcohol and £25.
SAINT-ÉMILION, POMEROL, FRONSAC
This region is on the Right Bank of the Dordogne. The wines are generally shaped by Merlot and elevated by Cabernet (Franc primarily). It’s an area with UNESCO World Heritage sites, well-known châteaux and rolling plateaus of limestone and clay. 11 appellations five of which are represented in this selection below: Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux, Puisseguin Saint-Emilion, Saint Emilion Grand Cru, Lalande de Pomerol and Montagne Saint-Emilion.
Chapelle de Labrie 2022, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru
90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc
Ruby red with violet on the rim, this is a premium quality Grand Cru, the second wine of Château Croix de Labrie. There’s a stunning nose of fresh, pure red fruit, delicate spice and hint of oak, a lactic note – fudge perhaps? – a heady almost ethereal quality. In the mouth the wine is creamy and fresh, round and smooth on entry then offers plush dark fruit, velvety tannins, lush texture. Hints of dark chocolate and mint on the finish. Simply stunning although it’s not an everyday price. 14.5% abv. £82
Château Garraud 2022, Lalande-de-Pomerol
65% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Franc
Situated around the two villages of Lalande-de-Pomerol and Néac this appellation is home to winegrowers who mainly grow Merlot on alluvial terraces in an unique micro-climate. Garraud is an historic château that underwent considerable renovation in the 1990s. The wine is classy on the nose with abundant red fruit, dried flowers, fruit cake and spice; in the mouth the wine is smooth and warm with a firm backbone of acidity and well-integrated tannins providing balance. Elegant and complex. 14.5% abv. £39.50
Château Robin 2022, Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux
85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 3% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Malbec
Situated 45 kilometres east of Bordeaux, the huge region of Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux is home to all manner of great value-for-money wines. This is a classic blend with the Merlot bringing fruit and voluptuousness, the Cab Franc freshness and the Cab Sauv and Malbec bringing structure and complexity. Aromas of red and smoky black fruit, in the mouth the wine has good body, fruit purity and is a great balance between structure and finesse. £14
Château La Vaisinerie 2020, Puisseguin Saint-Émilion
90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc
80% of this 730-hectare appellation is accounted for by Merlot – south and south-east facing – which gives the wines here such aromatic richness and deep colour. You pick up this ripeness immediately on the nose which, tasted blind, you could almost put in Napa. Concentrated dark fruit – plums, cherries, mulberries – some espresso and subtle smoke. On the palate the wine is fresh, young, with powdery tannins and acidity balancing the lush fruit; underneath you find a saline backbone that gives the wine a long finish. 14.5% abv. £19.95
Château Cantenac 2020, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru
95% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon
Saint-Émilion and Saint-Émilion Grand Cru together form 5,400 hectares for 700 winegrowers. 85 châteaux from the Saint-Émilion Grand Cru appellation were recognised in the 2022 classification which requires fruit grown at lower yields, ageing for at least 10 months and compulsory inspections of all wine. Cantenac is situated near the Dordogne just south of Libourne.
On the nose you find ripe red and black fruit, a hint of sweet vanilla and tobacco. In the mouth the wine is rounded and smooth on entry, expressive, intense with plush Merlot fruit providing fine mineral tannins, grip with black fruit from the Cabernet Sauvignon. £22.60
Château Montaiguillon 2022, Montagne Saint-Emilion
60% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon
Montagne Saint-Emilion, as the name suggests, is an appellation all about altitude, where the wines of primarily family-owned estates have freshness, structure and an elegant austerity about them.
Château Montaiguillon is a case in point with red and black fruit aromas, a touch of vanilla and savoury, meaty nuances. On the palate the wine has red plums, blackcurrants and cherries there’s bold dark fruit complemented and balanced by decent structure and acidity, the judicious use of oak giving the wine a fine-boned texture. The wine does clock up at 14.5% alcohol but it’s well balanced. Château Montaiguillon is often regarded as an estate that punches above its weight and so it proves with this first-rate Saint-Emilion. £18.50.
