K&L Newsletter: Bordeaux's Recent Stellar Vintages in Full Focus, Plus a 2022 Preview

[] Remarkable depth of rewarding selections: discover your next favorite bottle... Monday May 15th, 2023 [View in Browser]( [KL-emailheader.gif]( [Bordeaux News]( [Today's Newsletter]( brings us back to our first and greatest love. With several new containers having reached our shelves in the past few months, and with the trio of incredible 2018-2019 vintages now in the books (and another on the way in 2022!), our inventory has never been deeper. K&L co-founder and buyer Clyde Beffa's team has been busy visiting the region and compiling their top finds, many of which are presented in greater detail below. As we're fond of saying, there's never been a better time to be a Bordeaux fanatic. - [Clyde's Current Favorites](#section1) - [A First Look at 2022 En Primeur](#section2) - [The Charming and Approachable 2019s](#section3) - [The Power and Structure of 2020](#section4) - [Top-Picks for the Table and the Cellar](#section5) - [Bordeaux's Incredible Hidden Gems](#section6) - [Classic-Vintage Value Picks](#section7) - [Odds, Ends, & Overachievers](#section8) --------------------------------------------------------------- [Pontet-Canet] --------------------------------------------------------------- Current Favorites from K&L Bordeaux Buyer Clyde Beffa, Jr. When it comes to our long-time Bordeaux clientele, the question on everyone's minds always seems to be "What's Clyde drinking these days?" What better way to kick off a Bordeaux newsletter than a hand-picked selection of personal favorites from our co-founder and Bordeaux professor emeritus? As part of his everyday line-up, perennial value star Lanessan is a surefire bet in the ultra-classic 2015 and 2016 vintages, while a bevy of Right Bank overperformers like Poesia deliver unmatched QPR class and critical acclaim at their price points. Back-vintage standouts in prime form include the 2009 Potensac and 2005 Labégorce, and for those who can't resist popping the cork on a top contender from a recent stellar vintage, you can't go wrong with 2018 Domaine de Chevalier or the 2019 Pontet-Canet, each of which flirts with perfection at 99 points. Vintage Item Name Score Retail Link 2015 Lanessan, Haut-Médoc 93 $21.99 [View]( 2016 Lanessan, Haut-Médoc 93 $21.99 [View]( 2016 Pierre 1er, St-Émilion 93 $22.99 [View]( 2019 Clos la Gaffelière, St-Émilion 94 $29.99 [View]( 2019 Ferrand, Pomerol 92 $29.99 [View]( 2019 Poesia, St-Émilion 96 $37.99 [View]( 2009 Potensac, Médoc 92 $48.99 [View]( 2005 Labégorce, Margaux 94 $69.99 [View]( 2018 Domaine de Chevalier Rouge, Pessac-Léognan 99 $84.99 [View]( 2019 Pontet-Canet, Pauillac (Elsewhere $155) 99 $119.99 [View]( [Return to Top](#top) --------------------------------------------------------------- [Château Cheval Blanc] --------------------------------------------------------------- 2022 Bordeaux En Primeur: A Campaign of Many Pleasant Surprises After our recent trip to Bordeaux for En Primeur, we are confident of a few things about the 2022 vintage: there are some absolutely brilliant, not-to-be-missed wines, production is down, and prices will be up. This was a hot vintage, but the big surprise was a freshness and lively acidity that elevated many wines to the next level. While a few producers struggled with the heat, the best grands vins have the opportunity to be all-time greats, and there are many tremendously exciting wines that will drink well throughout their lifespans. The early releases have just come to market, highlighted by gems from the Barton family and monumental renditions from Right Bank icons Angélus and Cheval Blanc, but stay tuned for updates as the campaign progresses in the next few weeks. Vintage Item Name Score Retail Link 2022 Tronquoy, St-Estèphe (Pre-Arrival) 93 $28.99 [View]( 2022 Mangot, St-Émilion (Pre-Arrival) 95 $28.99 [View]( 2022 Poujeaux, Moulis (Pre-Arrival) 95 $28.99 [View]( 2022 Cantemerle, Haut-Médoc (Pre-Arrival) 94 $29.99 [View]( 2022 Meyney, St-Estèphe (Pre-Arrival) 95 $30.99 [View]( 2022 Tour Saint Christophe, St-Émilion (Pre-Arrival) 96 $33.99 [View]( 2022 Siran, Margaux (Pre-Arrival) 96 $34.99 [View]( 2022 Larrivet Haut-Brion Rouge, Pessac-Léognan (Pre-Arrival) 94 $38.99 [View]( 2022 de Fieuzal Rouge, Pessac-Léognan (Pre-Arrival) 96 $39.99 [View]( 2022 Bellefont-Belcier, St-Émilion (Pre-Arrival) 98 $41.99 [View]( 2022 Langoa-Barton, St-Julien (Pre-Arrival) 97 $49.99 [View]( 2022 Suduiraut, Sauternes (Pre-Arrival) 99 $64.99 [View]( 2022 Léoville-Barton, St-Julien (Pre-Arrival) 97 $91.99 [View]( 2022 Angélus, St-Émilion (Pre-Arrival) 99 $449.99 [View]( 2022 Cheval Blanc, St-Émilion (Pre-Arrival) 100 $649.99 [View]( [Return to Top](#top) --------------------------------------------------------------- [Léoville-Barton] --------------------------------------------------------------- 2019 Bordeaux: The Pandemic Era, Part I As we discuss in the newsletter, 2019 and 2020 Bordeaux are a compelling pair that defined the pandemic era for the region, while also producing wines of terrific caliber and depth. The 2019s are drinking well right out of the gates, showing an undeniable brightness, while slightly favoring the Cabernet characteristics. You can find stellar wines all over the region, but some of our favorites include a best-ever Gloria, an inimitable Branaire-Ducru, and a Léoville-Barton that is setting a new standard for the estate (which is saying a lot!). Vintage Item Name Score Retail Link 2019 Latour-Martillac, Pessac-Léognan 96 $36.99 [View]( 2019 Gloria, St-Julien (Pre-Arrival, Elsewhere $65) 96 $39.99 [View]( 2019 Tour St-Christophe, St-Émilion 96 $39.99 [View]( 2019 Branaire-Ducru, St-Julien 96 $59.99 [View]( 2019 Haut-Batailley, Pauillac 95 $64.99 [View]( 2019 Grand-Puy-Lacoste, Pauillac 97 $79.99 [View]( 2019 Léoville-Barton, St-Julien (Pre-Arrival) 97 $119.99 [View]( 2019 Pichon-Lalande, Pauillac 99 $249.99 [View]( [Return to Top](#top) --------------------------------------------------------------- [La Mission Haut Brion] --------------------------------------------------------------- 2020 Bordeaux: The Pandemic Era, Part II Where the 2019s are all about freshness, the 2020s have a bit more density and classic structure that gives them serious long-haul potential. Again, there are benchmark wines up and down the Gironde, but Merlot seems to have the slight edge in 2020, as exemplified by Bellefont-Belcier, a bit of a unicorn in Bordeaux, boasting a sub-$50 price tag and 98- and 97-point scores that rival top collectibles. The new era of Troplong-Mondot is a towering success with the DC100 mark on their bright and layered 2020, and the triple 100-point 2020 Canon in magnum format could easily be a cellar centerpiece for any dedicated collector for the years to come. Vintage Item Name Score Retail Link 2020 Bellefont-Belcier, St-Émilion (Pre-Arrival) 98 $47.99 [View]( 2020 Domaine de Chevalier Rouge, Pessac-Léognan (Pre-Arrival) 98 $72.99 [View]( 2020 Pontet-Canet, Pauillac (Pre-Arrival, Elsewhere $125) 98 $99.99 [View]( 2020 Troplong-Mondot, St-Émilion (Pre-Arrival) 100 $109.99 [View]( 2020 Smith-Haut-Lafitte Rouge, Pessac-Léognan (Pre-Arrival) 100 $169.99 [View]( 2020 La Mission Haut-Brion, Pessac-Léognan (Pre-Arrival) 100 $399.99 [View]( 2020 Canon, St-Émilion (1.5L) (Pre-Arrival) 100 $399.99 [View]( [Return to Top](#top) --------------------------------------------------------------- [Château Barde-Haut] --------------------------------------------------------------- Versatile Stars with Broad Drinking Windows K&L San Francisco's John Majeski has curated a hand-picked selection of proven performers that can shine in the glass tonight or carry on evolving for many years in the cellar. Whether you're a patient collector with an affinity for mature claret or someone who just loves Bordeaux as your top go-to category, the selections below will fit the bill. A sub-$30 Pauillac from Gaudin shows the upfront charm and approachability of the 2019 vintage, but the familiar Pauillac structure suggests it has a ways to go before really hitting its stride. The crème de la crème, however, is a pair of ultra-classic vintages from all-time K&L favorite Barde-Haut. At 96 points each, the 2015 and 2016 will vie for the crown of the estate's best-ever rendition for many years to come, and it will be fascinating for enthusiasts to keep track over the coming decades. Vintage Item Name Score Retail Link 2019 Roylland, St. Émilion 93 $24.99 [View]( 2019 Gaudin, Pauillac 92 $28.99 [View]( 2018 Ségur De Cabanac, St-Estèphe 90 $29.99 [View]( 2015 Barde-Haut, St-Émilion 96 $44.99 [View]( 2016 Barde-Haut, St-Émilion 96 $44.99 [View]( [Return to Top](#top) --------------------------------------------------------------- [Pichon Baron Sunrise] --------------------------------------------------------------- A Deep Dive Under the Bordeaux Radar As one of the largest wine-regions in the world, the sheer breadth and depth of Bordeaux can be a mind-bending landscape to navigate, and it's a sure bet that no matter how much time you spend exploring it, you're still missing some true hidden gems. K&L Redwood City's Alex Schroeder is our go-to authority for the sharpest needles in the haystack, so to speak. His selection of impeccable value finds is a deep dive into unsung estates that should be on everyone's radar for repeated enjoyment. The 2018 Duplessis Moulis, from arguably our favorite under-the-radar appellation, "is a great value that is showing a ton of potential" for a mere $22. Avid fans shouldn't sleep on white Bordeaux either, and a perfect reason why is the 2019 Carbonnieux, which Inside Bordeaux's Jane Anson calls "one of the great classics of Bordeaux dry whites." Finally, the second wines shine again in the 2019 Les Tourelles from Second Growth Pichon-Baron. This 94-point, single-vineyard Merlot is an utterly unique expression of Pauillac terroir at by far the best price in the market. Vintage Item Name Score Retail Link 2017 Haut Charmes, Sauternes (375ml) $12.99 [View]( 2020 Petites Ranga 'Cuvée J.J.', Lalande-de-Pomerol $14.99 [View]( 2019 Seigneurs d'Aiguilhe (Château d'Aiguilhe), Côtes de Castillon 90 $18.99 [View]( 2016 Caronne Ste-Gemme, Haut-Médoc 92 $19.99 [View]( 2000 Vieux Landat, Haut-Medoc $19.99 [View]( 2020 Haut-Vigneau, Pessac-Leognan $19.99 [View]( 2018 Duplessis, Moulis 92 $21.99 [View]( 2004 Vieux Robin, Médoc $29.99 [View]( 2019 Carbonnieux Blanc, Pessac 94 $39.99 [View]( 2019 Les Tourelles de Longueville, Pauillac (Elsewhere $57) 94 $44.99 [View]( [Return to Top](#top) --------------------------------------------------------------- [Labégorce] --------------------------------------------------------------- Value Finds in Bordeaux's Modern-Classic Vintages It's a universal truth in Bordeaux that the big names command the lion's share of attention, especially in highly acclaimed vintages, but K&L Hollywood's Jacques Moreira turns his own spotlight on some truly superb value stars from the most coveted and lauded recent campaigns. The lesser-known appellations produce a wealth of overachievers in these vintages, highlighted by a 2009 Sainte-Marguerite Médoc that "tastes like a $30 wine" according to K&L buyer Clyde Beffa. Values also abound in the top-tier communes, and one of our all-time favorites is a 95-point 2015 Labégorce Margaux that had Jeb Dunnuck "blown away" for under $50. The selection below once again proves that it's hard to go wrong in a Bordeaux vintage that gets everything right. Vintage Item Name Score Retail Link 2015 de Birot, Côtes de Bordeaux 91 $12.99 [View]( 2009 Sainte-Marguerite, Médoc $16.99 [View]( 2015 Birot "Vintage", Premiere Cotes de Bordeaux $19.99 [View]( 2012 Fourcas Hosten, Listrac $19.99 [View]( 2010 Fontis, Médoc 90 $21.99 [View]( 2015 Labégorce, Margaux 95 $49.99 [View]( [Return to Top](#top) --------------------------------------------------------------- [Grand-Puy-Lacoste vineyard view] --------------------------------------------------------------- Odds, Ends, & Overperformers at Every Price Point We'll round the newsletter out with more of Clyde's personal selections, based on Bordeaux's unparalleled penchant for providing outstanding QPR at every point on the price spectrum. Sub-$30 second wines from the massively successful and overachieving Domaine de Chevalier show just how great this category can be in modern-era Bordeaux, while the 2015 and 2016 grands vins from Malartic-Lagravière and Grand-Puy-Lacoste are now punching with the blue chips in terms of class and critical acclaim, yet they still come in as two of the greatest quality-for-price collectibles in our inventory. Finally, legendary First Growth Château Latour previews a monumental vintage for its yet-to-be-released grand vin with a truly showstopping 2016 Les Forts de Latour that Galloni calls "undisputedly great," with Wine Advocate's William Kelley further declaring it "an impeccably balanced, utterly classical Forts de Latour worth a special effort to seek out." At our unbelievable market-best price, those who wish to add a collectible landmark to their cellars should look no further. Vintage Item Name Score Retail Link 2021 Tour Leognan Blanc, Pessac-Léognan $17.99 [View]( 2019 d'Arce, Côtes de Castillon 93 $21.99 [View]( 2019 Milens, St-Émilion (Elsewhere $40) 94 $24.99 [View]( 2015 Corbin, St-Émilion 93 $24.99 [View]( 2016 l'Esprit de Chevalier Rouge, Pessac-Léognan 94 $29.99 [View]( 2018 l'Esprit de Chevalier Rouge, Pessac-Léognan 95 $29.99 [View]( 2010 Chauvin, St-Émilion (Elsewhere $55) 93 $39.99 [View]( 2015 Malartic-Lagravière, Pessac-Léognan 96 $64.99 [View]( 2016 Grand-Puy-Lacoste, Pauillac 97 $99.99 [View]( 2015 Lynch-Bages, Pauillac 96 $149.99 [View]( 2016 Les Forts de Latour, Pauillac (Pre-Arrival, Elsewhere $250) 96 $199.99 [View]( [Return to Top](#top) --------------------------------------------------------------- [New Feed]( [Auction]( [Local]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [On the Trail (K&L Blog)]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [Instagram]( [YouTube]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [BORDEAUX]( | [NAPA]( | [BURGUNDY]( | [CHAMPAGNE]( | [ITALY]( | [RHÔNE]( | [SPIRITS]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [My Account]( | [Wine Clubs]( | [Events]( |[Gift Cards]( | [Accessories]( | [Delivery]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Missed an offer? 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