Bordeaux

Bordeaux for drinking now and for the cellar

Bordeaux covers every budget. There are the famous châteaux whose names people search for by vintage, and there are hundreds of smaller estates making well-priced reds for the table. Most of our customers come looking for a specific château and vintage, often to buy by the case or to lay down.

Browse red Bordeaux, white Bordeaux and sweet Bordeaux, or start with a bank.

Left Bank and Right Bank

• Left Bank: the Médoc and Graves, west of the Gironde and Garonne. Gravel soils suit Cabernet Sauvignon, which leads the blend in Pauillac, Margaux, Saint-Julien and Saint-Estèphe. The Haut-Médoc, Moulis and Listrac are where much of the value is. Pessac-Léognan and Graves also make fine dry whites.
• Right Bank: Saint-Émilion, Pomerol and their neighbours, where clay and limestone favour Merlot and Cabernet Franc. The wines tend to be rounder and softer when young.
• Côtes de Bordeaux and Bourg: hillside vineyards along the rivers, including Blaye, Cadillac and Côtes de Bourg. A good hunting ground for everyday reds.
• Sauternes and Barsac: sweet wines made mostly from Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc affected by noble rot. Half bottles make them easy to open with dessert or cheese.

Châteaux we stock

Our list currently includes Château Palmer, Château Pontet-Canet, Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, Château Cos d'Estournel and its Goulée, Château Lafon-Rochet, Château Malescot Saint-Exupéry, Domaine de Chevalier, Château Chasse-Spleen, Château Poujeaux, Château Clarke and Château Potensac, alongside the second wines of Lafite (Carruades), Léoville Barton and Angélus. For sweet wine there are Château d'Yquem, Climens, Coutet, Guiraud and Closiot, and for everyday drinking Château La Caussade, Château Réaut and Roc de Cambes.

What you get at each price

• Around $20–$40: Bordeaux and Bordeaux Supérieur reds, Graves red and white, and half bottles of sweet wine. Good weeknight claret.
• Around $40–$130: Cru Bourgeois, Haut-Médoc, Moulis and Listrac, and second wines of well-known châteaux. Most of our Bordeaux sits here, and it is the sweet spot for buying by the case.
• Around $130–$700: classed growths and grand cru Saint-Émilion, the wines to cellar.
• $700 and up: top classed growths, Yquem and large formats.

Reading a Bordeaux label

• Grand Cru Classé en 1855: part of the 1855 classification of the Médoc (plus Haut-Brion) and of Sauternes and Barsac. Médoc reds are ranked from 1er (first) to 5ème (fifth) growth.
• Premier Cru Supérieur: the single top rank in the 1855 Sauternes list, held by Château d'Yquem.
• Cru Bourgeois: a separate Médoc classification for châteaux outside 1855, with Supérieur and Exceptionnel levels.
• Saint-Émilion Grand Cru / Grand Cru Classé: Saint-Émilion Grand Cru is an appellation; Grand Cru Classé is its own classification, revised periodically.
• Second wine (2nd vin): a château's second label, often from younger vines, made by the same team for earlier drinking.
• Bordeaux Supérieur: a regional appellation, mostly red, with stricter rules than plain Bordeaux AOC.
• Mis en bouteille au château: bottled at the estate.

Buying by the case, and wines on request

We buy from many importers when you order rather than holding a single cellar, which lets us offer a much wider Bordeaux list and chase back vintages. Ask us for a château or vintage we don't list and we will try to source it. Delivery is free over $500. Many wines also come in magnums.

For the grapes, see Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, or the full French red wine range.

Bordeaux FAQs

What is the difference between Left Bank and Right Bank Bordeaux?

Left Bank Bordeaux is usually led by Cabernet Sauvignon and Right Bank Bordeaux by Merlot. Left Bank wines such as Pauillac tend to be firmer when young, while Right Bank wines such as Saint-Émilion and Pomerol are often softer and rounder.

What does "Grand Cru Classé en 1855" mean?

It means the château was ranked in the 1855 classification of Bordeaux, which covers the Médoc (plus Haut-Brion) and Sauternes and Barsac. The red wines are ranked in five tiers, from first to fifth growth.

What is a Bordeaux second wine?

A second wine is a château's second label, made by the same team from grapes not chosen for the main wine. It is usually cheaper and ready to drink sooner.

Is Sauternes a Bordeaux wine?

Yes. Sauternes is a sweet white wine from southern Bordeaux, made mainly from Sémillon with Sauvignon Blanc, and it is often sold in half bottles.

Can I buy Bordeaux by the case or order a vintage you don't list?

Yes. You can buy by the case, and we can often source other châteaux or vintages through our importers on request.