Question: Why don’t people drink more fine and rare wines?

Short answer: It’s because they’re fine and rare wines.

Whether it’s from a small Burgundy domaine, a grand Bordeaux château, a legendary Champagne house or a top Spanish bodega, demand almost always outstrips supply when it comes to fine and rare wines. Spending hundreds – or thousands – of euro on a bottle of wine is not an everyday occurrence for most of us. Put it together, and you end up with a huge percentage of the world’s finest wines being enjoyed by a very small minority of super-rich wine lovers.

That doesn’t mean we can’t dream, though. The world of fine wine is vast and there’s good (and even great) wine everywhere, but truly outstanding wine is a little harder to come by. They’re out there, but you just need to know where to look.

For those of you that have a special occasion coming up, are planning on winning the lottery sometime soon, or are perhaps looking into robbing a small bank, we’ve compiled a list of five of the greatest fine and rare wines ever made.

The 5 fine and rare wines you have to try

The world’s finest wines don’t come cheap, and many of us won’t ever get near them. If you’re the kind of person that likes to spend a little (or a lot) more on the finer things in life, however, you’re going to want to memorise this list!

1. Krug Clos de Mesnil 1996

Champagne has long been a byword for luxury, and it’s no surprise that some of the world’s most fine and rare wines are sparklers from the Champagne region in northern France. Krug Clos de Mesnil 1996 isn’t just any old Champagne, either: This is a single vintage, 100% Chardonnay, single vineyard bottling from one of the region’s greatest houses. The vineyard in question is the eponymous Clos de Mesnil, a tiny 1.85-hectare site in the Mesnil-sur-Oger village on the Côte de Blancs. Champagne simply doesn’t get better than this. Oh yeah, and it’s got a perfect 100-point score from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate!

Alcohol content: 12%

Serve between 4ºC and 8ºC

Optimal consumption period: 1996-2021

Best served in Prestige Cuvée Glass

Pairing: Appetizers, Bluefish, Fowl, Seafood, Soft Cheese, Whitefish.

Buy Krug Clos de Mesnil 1996 here.

2. Teso La Monja 2009

Spain’s Toro region produces some of the world’s most fine and rare wines. Top producers, like the Eguren family of Teso la Monja, can make fine wines on a par with anything from Ribera del Duero or Rioja, let alone Bordeaux and Burgundy. Teso La Monja 2009 is 100% Tinta de Toro (the local name for Tempranillo) and comes from a tiny single vineyard plot whose vines predate the phylloxera epidemic. The wine is made in accordance with the principles of biodynamics, and in tiny quantities: Not much more than 800 bottles are made each year. This is the highest end of Spanish wine.

Alcohol content: 13%

Serve between 14ºC and 18ºC

Optimal consumption period: 2009-2034

We recommend to decant the wine 1 hour before serving

Best served in Tempranillo Glass

Pairing: Beef, Game Animals, Grilled Red Meats, Roasts, Stews.

3. Château Palmer 2000

Officially ranked a third growth in Bordeaux’s 1855 Classification, Château Palmer has long outperformed even that prestigious distinction and has a loyal, cult following to rival any fine wine in the world. It was the château’s legendary 1961 vintage that eventually gave rise to the term “Super Second”, and it often makes superior wines to its first growth neighbour, Château Margaux. Its unusually high Merlot content gives Château Palmer a seductive and almost haunting perfume to complement its power and complexity. This 2000 vintage is one of the finest in recent memory. This is mature and you can certainly drink it now, though it will continue to evolve and hold for years to come. Château Palmer 2000 is a modern classic and a benchmark for the estate, for Margaux and for Bordeaux as a whole.

Serve between 12ºC and 16ºC

Optimal consumption period: 2000-2025

We recommend to decant the wine 2 hours before serving

Best served in Bordeaux Glass

Pairing: Aged Cheese, Game Animals, Grilled Red Meats, Legume, Roasts, Stews.

4. Domaine de la Romanée-Conti La Tâche 2001

The pinnacle of fine and rare wines is surely Domaine de la Romanée-Conti in Burgundy. No other wine producer in the world comes close to the prestige that surrounds this estate and its wines. The most famous of all is the tongue-twisting Domaine de La Romanée-Conti Romanée-Conti, but there is an entire portfolio of fine wines besides. La Tâche 2001 comes from a tiny hillside vineyard in Romanée-St-Vivant. The wine is one of the finest expressions of Pinot Noir, showing a velvety warmth, spice and earthy notes. One of the great bucket list wines, plain and simple.

Alcohol content: 13%

Serve between 14ºC and 18ºC

Optimal consumption period: 2001-2026

We recommend to decant the wine 2 hours before serving

Best served in Burgundy Glass

5. Château d’Yquem 2001

Last but certainly not least is Château d’Yquem 2001. A perfect 100-pointer from the world’s greatest sweet wine producer. Great Sauternes can outlive any red wine, and there’s simply no greater Sauternes than Yquem. Producing Sauternes is a painstaking process and attention to detail is crucial. Château d’Yquem simply does not compromise on quality, and will not hesitate to not release a given vintage if the wine does not meet its exacting standards. From an excellent vintage, the 2001 Château d’Yquem is characterised by harmonious balance, undeniable opulence and first-class refinement. There’s literally nothing like Yquem.

Alcohol content: 14%

Serve between 6ºC and 12ºC

Optimal consumption period: 2017-2032

Best served in Sauternes Glass

Pairing: Blue Cheese, Chocolate, Desserts, Ice Cream, Pastry.

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A one-minute history of Marqués de Cáceres Rioja

The bodega was founded in 1970. Its founder, Enrique Forner, was influenced by legendary Bordeaux figure Professor Emile Peynaud – so much so that he took a decidedly modern approach to producing Rioja wine. His focus then was less on oak ageing and more on fruit expression. The result was fewer oak flavours, making Marqués de Cáceres one of the most fruit-forward of all Rioja wines.

With the history lesson out of the way, let’s open some bottles and see what the Marqués de Cáceres wine range tastes like.

1. Tasting Marqués de Cáceres Rioja Crianza

If you remember your Rioja ageing rules, you’ll recall that Crianza wines must be aged for at least two years before they’re released, and at least one of those years needs to be in oak. Rioja Crianza usually errs more on the side of fruit than oak, and the wines are usually quite easy-drinking.

The 2012 Marqués de Cáceres Rioja Crianza is a blend of 85% Tempranillo with the balance made up of Grenache and Graciano. It’s got a bright and youthful ruby colour and a nose of fresh red fruits and spice. In the mouth, it is rich and smooth with lots of generous fruit.

Alcohol content: 13%

Serve between 12ºC and 16ºC

Optimal consumption period: 2012-2018

The wine does not need to be decanted

Best served in Tempranillo Glass

Pairing: Aged Cheese, Game Animals, Grilled Red Meats, Legume, Roasts, Stews.

Buy Marqués de Cáceres Rioja Crianza 2012 here.

2. Tasting Marqués de Cáceres Rioja Reserva

The next step up from Crianza ageing is Rioja Reserva, and for many Rioja producers the Reserva is the flagship wine. 

Tasting the 2011 Marqués de Cáceres Rioja Reserva, it’s easy to see why. This has the same blend as the 2012 Crianza, though the key difference is in the grape selection and ageing. The grapes for the 2011 Reserva came from older vines, giving greater concentration and ultimately quality. The wine itself was aged for longer, seeing 20 months in French oak barrels before a healthy 18 months of bottle ageing.

The resulting wine has a darker colour than the Crianza, a deep red almost verging on black. Aromatically, there’s blackberry fruit and considerable spice and pepper. On the palate, there are pleasantly fresh fruit flavours, alongside supple tannins and an overall smooth mouthfeel.

Alcohol content: 14%

Serve between 14ºC and 18ºC

Optimal consumption period: 2011-2022

We recommend to decant the wine 1 hour before serving

Best served in Tempranillo Glass

Pairing: Beef, Game Animals, Grilled Red Meats, Roasts, Stews.

Buy Marqués de Cáceres Rioja Reserva 2011 here.

3. Tasting Marqués de Cáceres Rioja Gran Reserva

Gran Reserva Rioja sees the longest time in oak, and is a very distinctive style of wine. For some, the oak flavours of Rioja Gran Reserva are too much, with astringent tannins overtaking any and all fruit flavours. It’s true that some wines of this style can be over the top, but remember the Marqués de Cáceres approach is decidedly more modern than many other producers, so that’s not a problem!

The 2009 Marqués de Cáceres Rioja Gran Reserva has a very similar blend to the two younger wines, though the key difference is in the ageing. This wine was aged for as much as 28 months in French oak before a whopping four years of further bottle ageing. This real deal Rioja Gran Reserva, make no mistake.

It’s all about the tasting though. Its colour is a dark cherry, maintain a surprisingly youthful look for its age. The nose strikes a delicate balance between fruit flavours and oak influences of spice and vanilla. It’s complex, and you’ll want to come back to it again and again. In the mouth, it is plush, elegant and powerful. There are woody notes for sure, but they’re in balance and never overpowering.

Alcohol content: 14%

Serve between 14ºC and 18ºC

Optimal consumption period: 2009-2030

We recommend to decant the wine 1 hour before serving

Best served in Tempranillo Glass

Pairing: Beef, Game Birds.

Buy Marqués de Cáceres Rioja Gran Reserva 2009.

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Anyone thinking of making a trip to Bordeaux anytime soon: Visiting Château Lynch-Bages is an absolute must, and in this guide, we’ll tell you why!

3 reasons you must visit Château Lynch-Bages

Any serious wine lover won’t need an excuse, but there are plenty of good reasons to make visiting Château Lynch-Bages a top priority next time you’re anywhere near it! We could go on at length, but we’ve boiled it down to three absolutely essential reasons.

1. Château Lynch-Bages is one of Bordeaux’s finest wines.

   Let’s not beat around the bush: People visit wineries to taste wine, first and foremost. A wine like Château Lynch-Bages may be relatively affordable when compared to the likes of Château Mouton Rothschild and Château Margaux, but it’s still gonna cost you a few hundred euros, at least. This is not an everyday wine – for most of us, at least! Making a trip to the château is a great opportunity to taste the wine without too much expense.

2. Château Lynch-Bages has a Michelin-star restaurant on site.

   Did that get your attention? Foodies and gastronomic geeks will certainly want to make a reservation at Château Cordeillan-Bages, one of Bordeaux’s finest restaurants. This is the height of Bordelaise cuisine, served in highly memorable surroundings. Each table is unique and adorned with artwork from famous artists. The wine list, perhaps not surprisingly, is superb: The cellar is stocked with around 1,500 different wines, including some of the best red wine in the world. Oh yeah, it’s also a four-star hotel, so there’s that, too!

3. Château Lynch-Bages has its own living, breathing village!

   So, let’s picture this: You visit the château, you dine at the restaurant and you stay overnight at the hotel. Sounds good. However, Pauillac is about an hour’s drive outside of Bordeaux – on a good day. There’s only so much you can see in Chateau Lynch-Bages’ cellar, right? Well, no. The château itself is located within its own dedicated village, Bages. Visit the Bages village and you’ll find life is bustling. Buy wine at the local cave, or grab a slightly less formal lunch at the brasserie, Café Lavinal. Yes, they’ve got two restaurants at Château Lynch-Bages! Otherwise, take a stroll at this classic Médocaine village, and enjoy all it has to offer.

What if you can’t visit Château Lynch-Bages?

OK, so let’s say that visiting Bordeaux is not an option. One way to recreate the magic of Château Lynch-Bages is, well, by drinking a bottle of the stuff!

• Château Lynch-Bages 2010 is a 96-point blockbuster wine.

  Pick up a bottle of Lynch-Bages 2010, and you can enjoy the magic of this legendary Pauillac property from the comfort of your own home. Its colour is deep, dense and concentrated. On the nose it has profound fruit aromas with underlying spice, and on the palate it is full-bodied and tannic, yet highly refined. This is a bucket list wine, certainly, and it deserves to be paired with a bucket list food. Recreate the Bordeaux experience with some traditional Médocaine food: Pair this with slow-roasted Pauillac lamb, and savour every second of it!

Buy Château Lynch-Bages 2010!

Want to understand wines like Château Lynch-Bages a little better? Check out our guide for understanding Bordeaux wine labels!

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What does Premier Cru mean on a Sauternes wine label?

“Premier Cru” is a tricky phrase in wine, because it can have different meanings between one region and another.

When you hear about Premier Cru in Burgundy, for example, it’ll be in reference to one hyper-specific plot of vineyard land. It doesn’t matter who owns it or who makes wine there, the land itself is designated Premier Cru.

This is not the case in Sauternes, where the Premier Cru designation is applied to producers, and not necessarily their land. Often, the two are one and the same, but this is not exclusively the case – producers buy new land, vineyards can be divided, and so on – Premier Cru wineries remain Premier Cru wineries whether their vineyard land remains the same or not.

So what is Premier Cru wine in Sauternes?

To learn about Premier Cru wine in Sauternes, we need to go back in time to the year 1855. This is the year of the famous 1855 classification of Bordeaux wine. Many wine lovers associate the 1855 classification with red wines from the Médoc, and rightly so. First growth wineries like Château Margaux and Château Mouton Rothschild are wine legends, largely thanks to that old classification.

What you may not know is that the 1855 ranking also included the sweet wines of Sauternes and Barsac, a neighbouring region. Premier Cru châteaux from Sauternes are designated by this ranking, so let’s see what it’s about!

1855 Sauternes Premier Cru ranking

At the same time as the red wines of the Médoc, the top sweet wines from Sauternes were also ranked on an official hierarchy. The structure is a little different from the red wine ranking. Here, there are three quality tiers.

1. Premier Cru Supérieur

The top tier in Sauternes, Premier Cru Supérieur, has just one member: Château d’Yquem. This is the home of the world’s best sweet wine, and is among the most famous wineries in the world. Within Sauternes and throughout the world, Yquem literally stands apart. The wine is the best expression of noble rot sweet wine you’ll find, though it doesn’t come cheap! This is the equivalent of the “first growths” of the Médoc or Saint Emilion.

2. Premier Cru

A step below Château d’Yquem, you’ll find the Premier Cru châteaux. At their best, these wines can rival their Premier Cru Supérieur rival, and for a considerably lower price. The top producers in this tier include Château Suduiraut, Château Climens and Château Coutet.

3. Deuxième Cru

The final level in the Sauternes classification is Deuxième Cru, which translates to “second growth”. These wines are generally less famous and more affordable than the two Premier Cru levels, but there is great quality to be found also. Overall, the ranking system in Sauternes is not as important as that in the Médoc or elsewhere.

Have a sweet tooth? Check out our guide to sweet Spanish wine!

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For those of you that might be tempted, but aren’t fully convinced, we’ve laid on this handy guide. We’ll tell you a little bit about the estate and give you three good reasons to splash out on a bottle of this Bordeaux blockbuster!

Château Ducru-Beaucaillou: The basics

Before we get into the why, let’s take a quick look at the what. Let’s establish a few facts about Ducru-Beaucaillou, shall we?

• It’s a member of the Grand Cru Classé

  Ducru-Beaucaillou was ranked as a second growth in the famous 1855 classification of Bordeaux. This ranking places it just one tier below the legendary first growths, like Château Margaux and Château Mouton Rothschild.

• It’s a Super Second

  Beyond its official ranking, Ducru-Beaucaillou belongs to an informal and unofficial grouping of overperforming châteaux known as “Super Seconds”. Alongside other top estates like Château Palmer, Château Léoville Las Cases and Château Cos d’Estournel, these guys are well able to produce first growth quality at (relatively) more affordable prices!

3 reasons you should be drinking Ducru-Beaucaillou

To be frank, there are any number of good reasons for you to bag a bottle of this stuff. The only really good argument against it is the price, but even with such a high price, it can offer some relatively good value. Those that have already tasted this beautiful Bordeaux will need little convincing, but for those in any doubt, why not consider:

1. Where it comes from!

   The word terroir can appear quite terrifying. It’s a French word for which there is no direct English translation, and it is thrown around with reckless abandon in the wine world. At its essence, it refers to a product – in this case a wine – having a sense of place, and expressing the specific area from which it has come. Ducru-Beaucaillou comes from a 90-hectare vineyard site facing the Gironde river in St. Julien. Locals say that the best wines are produced from riverside vineyards, and you’ll see where they’re coming from if you taste this wine. It’s got nice neighbours, too: To the south you’ll find Château Beychevelle, and to the north Château Léoville Barton.
   Buy a bottle of Château Ducru-Beaucaillou 2006 and taste its terroir: Though predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon, it is never overpowering: there is a finesse here that simply couldn’t be achieved anywhere else!

2. Critics love it!

   For those inside the wine industry, there are few estates whose reputation has the caché of Ducru-Beaucaillou’s. Robert Parker has awarded these wines with some very strong scores, rating the 2009 vintage a perfect 100 points. Anyone that enjoys fine wine knows what a 100-point score means: On the plus side, you’re guaranteed an exceptional wine, however, it’s going to be in short supply and hot demand – and you’ll pay for it!
   Look instead to Château Ducru-Beaucaillou 2005. At 97 Parker points, this is a top-notch wine, and it won’t cost you (quite) as much as the 2009!

3. Food, glorious food!

   Ducru-Beaucaillou is an outstanding food wine. The estate is led by the colourful Bruno Borie, who is well-known for hosting dinners at the château – and getting his hands dirty in the kitchen! It’s no surprise, then, that the wine itself is especially food-friendly. Pairing Bordeaux wine with food is one of life’s great pleasures, and Ducru-Beaucaillou is a case in point. Each vintage has its own unique characteristics, of course, but there’s nothing quite like pairing a mature Bordeaux with fine food.
   Grab a bottle of Château Ducru-Beaucaillou 1995, an elegant wine from a very strong vintage that is now in a beautiful point of its life. Pair it with something special: Recreate French Michelin-star style dining with a foie gras pôele or entrecote with red wine jus. Bon appetit!

Want to learn more about wines like Ducru-Beaucaillou? Find out how Twitter can teach you about Bordeaux wine!

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To understand things a little better, we’ll focus on Bordeaux, its Grand Cru rankings and some important Grand Cru wineries you should know about!

Grand Cru Bordeaux

Let’s look at Bordeaux, then. There are almost 10,000 producers in the region, and the vast majority of the wine produced is inexpensive, entry-level Bordeaux. However, there is a small, highly visible minority at the high end of the market – the Grand Cru Classé of Bordeaux.

In simple terms, a “Grand Cru” Bordeaux is a château that has been listed on one of several official classification systems. Bordeaux itself is divided into numerous geographical subzones, and most top subzones have a Grand Cru ranking of some kind. No classification covers the entire Bordeaux region. The most famous is the 1855 classification, which is an official tiered system applied to the top producers of the Médoc and Sauternes regions in that year.

Bordeaux Grand Cru Classé rankings

Let’s look now at each of the Grand Cru rankings of Bordeaux. With the notable exception of Pomerol, all of the key fine wine subzones of Bordeaux are covered by one Grand Cru classification or another.

Médoc Grand Cru Classé

• In a nutshell:

  The red wines of the Médoc region on Bordeaux’s left bank were ranked as part of the 1855 Official Classification of Bordeaux wines. Today, there are 61 individual wineries on the list, ranked on a hierarchy of five tiers, from Premier Grand Cru Classé (commonly known as “first growth”) to Cinquième Grand Cru Classé (“fifth growth”).

• Key wineries:

  The five “first growths” are the most highly-rated and most expensive. They are Châteaux Haut-Brion, Margaux, Lafite Rothschild, Latour and Mouton Rothschild. The unofficial group known as “super seconds”, including Châteaux Palmer, Ducru-Beaucaillou and Cos d’Estournel, can often compete with the top names on both quality and price.

Sauternes Grand Cru Classé

• In a nutshell:

  Also a part of the 1855 classification, the sweet wines of Sauternes and Barsac were ranked on a separate list. This ranking is rarely considered to be as important as the Médoc list. There are three tiers here: Premier Cru Supérieur, Premier Cru and Deuxième Cru.

• Key wineries:

  The most important winery here is the most important sweet wine producer in the world, Château d’Yquem. This is the sole member of the top tier, the only Premier Cru Exceptionnelle. Château Suduiraut is an important Premier Cru winery, and can often produce wines approaching Yquem’s quality at a much lower price.

Graves Grand Cru Classé

• In a nutshell:

  The Graves region lies on the left bank, south of Bordeaux city. Many of its wineries lie in the city’s suburbs, in fact. All of the Grand Cru wineries here actually belong to the Pessac-Léognan appellation, which was established in 1987. The classification here was introduced in 1953, and is relatively simple: There’s no hierarchy, a winery is either in or out – though wineries can be classified for their red wines, white wines, or in some cases, both.

• Key wineries:

  Haut-Brion, the Médoc first growth, lies in Pessac-Léognan, and is thus a member of the Graves Grand Cru Classé, as well as the 1855 ranking. The other top Grand Cru estate here is La Mission Haut-Brion.

Saint Emilion Grand Cru Classé

• In a nutshell:

  The structure of the Saint Emilion ranking system is a little more complicated, because it is intrinsically linked to the appellation system, and is actually updated with relative frequency. The top tier here is the Premier Grand Cru Classé A, followed by Premier Grand Cru Classé B, Grand Cru Classé and, finally, Grand Cru. Non-ranked wineries just bear the name “Saint Emilion” on the label, with no reference whatsoever to “Grand Cru”. The ranking was last updated in 2012, and is scheduled to be revised in 2022.

• Key wineries:

  The top tier has four members, Châteaux Ausone, Cheval Blanc, Pavie and Angélus. Other prominent wineries include Châteaux Figeac, Valandraud and La Mondotte.

Have any questions? Let us know in the comments!

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Château Pétrus: What’s the deal?

Considered by many to be the best red wine in the world, Château Pétrus is the most famous and prestigious wine estate in Pomerol. Despite its infamy, the estate is shrouded in mystery and has something of a low profile. Unlike the grand estates of the Médoc, there is no great castle to mark the spot of its legendary vineyard. Instead, a modest country house serves as the closest thing to a Château Pétrus proper. The real story, of course, has nothing to do with old castles, but rather of the vineyard.

The Château Pétrus vineyard

Lying in the east of the Pomerol appellation, Château Pétrus has 11.4 hectares under vine, planted exclusively to Merlot. The vineyard is surrounded by those of some of the world’s greatest wineries, including Château Lafleur, Château Certan de May and Château La Conseillante, to name just a few. The vineyard at Château Pétrus is known for its concentration of blue clay, an iron-rich soil type that is atypical for the region and leads to wines of exceptional concentration and quality.

What makes Château Pétrus so special (and expensive)?

A bottle of Château Pétrus doesn’t come cheap: Expect to pay thousands, or tens of thousands, of euros! Nonetheless – or perhaps as a result – Château Pétrus’ wine is always in incredibly high demand. There are many reasons as to why this might be the case.

• Château Pétrus belongs to Ets JP Moueix, one of the world’s most respected wine merchants. Other vineyards in the Moueix portfolio include Pomerol estates Châteaux Trotanoy, La Fleur-Pétrus and Latour à Pomerol, as well as Napa Valley icon Dominus. That Château Pétrus is the jewel in this crown tells you all you need to know about its quality!
• The winegrowing and winemaking at Château Pétrus puts quality before all else. Vines are old, with an average age of 45 years. Here, you get low yields of highly concentrated fruit. Furthermore, fruit selection is thorough and incredibly strict, only the very best grapes make it.
• There’s not that much Château Pétrus to go around. With an annual production of no more than 30,000 bottles, demand far outstrips supply. Naturally, this leads to some of the highest prices in all of wine.

Tasting Château Pétrus wine

Perhaps the great tragedy of Château Pétrus (and fine wine generally) is that so few people will ever get to taste the wine. These wines are some of the most critically acclaimed in the world, though their scarcity and price mean that few of us will ever have the opportunity to actually drink a glass, let alone a bottle! We’ve got two vintages of Château Pétrus wine in stock. If you can afford it, by all means skip ahead, buy them and see for yourself. Otherwise, join us for a virtual tasting of Château Pétrus!

Château Pétrus 2003

Château Pétrus 2003 is a blend of 95% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc – note that the vineyard was planted to exclusively Merlot in 2010. This is visually a deep, dark and rich wine, with wide-ranging aromas from cherry and chocolate to smoke and vanilla. On the palate, the wine is both powerful and incredibly smooth. With 95+ points from Robert Parker, this is truly one of the world’s best wines.

Try it

Château Pétrus 2002

Château Pétrus 2002 has the same blend as the 2003, and is again outstanding. Its rich, dark colour gives way to an enchanting nose ranging from sweet fruits to coffee, olive and tobacco. Full-bodied and smooth on the palate, this is another fantastic Château Pétrus wine.

Buy it

Have you ever tasted Château Pétrus? What did you think? Share your tasting notes with your fellow wine lovers below!

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Bordeaux wine labels certainly fall into this category and can be off-putting for many. The good news is that you don’t need to be a Master of Wine, or speak French, to make sense of Bordeaux labels. Our handy guide will give you everything you need to know and tell you everything you need to look out for, to pick a great bottle every time.

Understanding Bordeaux wine labels

The wines of Bordeaux are widely admired, but can also appear intimidating. When compared with a Chilean Merlot or a California Cabernet Sauvignon, it can be difficult to understand what’s on the label – let alone to know what’s in the bottle! In order to understand Bordeaux wines better, we’ll take a typical label and work our way through it, piece by piece.

Château Cos Labory wine label

Here we’ve got a label from Château Cos Labory. This is one of the Bordeaux region’s best producers, but you’d be forgiven for not knowing that by the label alone. Let’s take a closer look.

source: wine-searcher.com

OK, so what are we looking at? There’s some nice (if a little old-fashioned) visual elements, and a few obvious points, too: Alcohol 12.5% is understandable enough, as is the bottle size (750ml) and the fact that it’s a French product. Otherwise, let’s run through the individual components that make up this and most other Bordeaux wine labels!

Wine name

In this case, the wine’s name is Château Cos Labory, which is also the name of the château estate from which it comes. Some estates make more than one wine, but when a wine has the word “Château” in its name, it is likely to be that producer’s best wine. Second wines, perhaps from younger vines or lower quality fruit, are usually given distinct names that do not bare the word “Château”. In this case, Château Cos Labory makes a second wine called Charme de Cos Labory.

Classification

Here, the phrase Grand Cru Classé classement de 1855 indicates that the wine is a classified growth. Bordeaux wine classifications are notoriously (and perhaps needlessly) complicated, and there are several different ones. This wine is classified as part of the historic 1855 classification as a fifth growth. Classified growths like Cos Labory represent the high-end minority of Bordeaux wines.

Vintage

This is the year in which the grapes were harvested, which was 1994 in this example. The vintage is very important in regions such as Bordeaux that are susceptible to dramatic changes in weather from one year to another. In Bordeaux, some of the best recent vintages include 2005, 2009 and 2010. Market prices for these wines are very high as a result. Wines from less heralded vintages, such as Château Cos Labory 2007, usually offer good quality at a considerable discount.

Region of origin

The region of origin is important in Bordeaux, because the region is so big and has so many distinct areas. Entry-level wines will be labelled as either Bordeaux or Bordeaux Supérieur. The grapes for these wines are permitted to come from anywhere within the Bordeaux region. Higher end wines come from specific, named locales. Some prominent subregions include Pomerol, Margaux and Pauillac. Different subregions have different styles, signatures and may use different blends. Learn about Bordeaux wine styles to know which regions to look out for to suit your palate (and wallet).

Here, the region of origin is Saint-Estèphe. This appellation is located in the northern Médoc on Bordeaux’s left bank, and is known for powerful Bordeaux blends based on Cabernet Sauvignon. The region’s most famous producers are Château Cos d’Estournel and Château Montrose.

Ownership

Bordeaux labels will proudly bear the name and address of the proprietor, which may be an individual or a company. In our case, it is Domaines AUDOY, based in the Saint-Estèphe region.

Bottling statement

Here, the French phrase mis en bouteilles au château indicates that the wine was bottled at the estate itself. Some wineries own their own bottling lines and others rent machines. While estate bottling doesn’t guarantee quality, it can be somewhat reassuring and indicate a sense of pride on the part of the owner.

So that’s the average Bordeaux wine label deconstructed. Using this knowledge you can shop for Bordeaux wines with confidence, knowing what to look out for in order to get the best bottle every time! What other wine label terms are troubling for you? Let us know and we’ll try to help!

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1. Mouton Rothschild is a first growth – but that wasn’t always the case!

Along with Châteaux Margaux, Haut-Brion, Latour and Lafite-Rothschild, Mouton Rothschild is a member of the top tier of the historic 1855 classification of Bordeaux wines. Most fine wine buffs can rattle off these prestigious names with relative ease, and know that they represent the cream of the crop. What you may not know is that Château Mouton Rothschild did not start out as a first growth at all.

Back in 1855, the estate was ranked a second growth. some no small feat, and indeed there are many second growth estates that can and do give the top tier producers a run for their money. This wasn’t good enough for Mouton’s proprietor, the late Baron Philippe, however. Convinced of his property’s exceptional quality, he pushed and lobbied hard for the classification to be revised. Considering that the only change until then had been a minor addition in 1856, this was not easy. Eventually, he was successful: In 1973, Château Mouton Rothschild became the fifth first growth!

2. The influence of Mouton Rothschild extends beyond Bordeaux

Château Mouton Rothschild wine can only be produced in Bordeaux, from the 90-hectare vineyard in Pauillac. However, Mouton has long had an international perspective, and the winery is involved in a number of joint ventures with other wineries throughout the world, including:

• Opus One Winery, the super-premium Oakville, California producer founded as a joint venture between Mouton Rothschild and Robert Mondavi.

• Almaviva, a collaboration between Mouton Rothschild and Concha y Toro in Chile.

The Baron Philippe de Rothschild name and association with Château Mouton Rothschild makes these wineries and their wines incredibly popular and in high demand. Opus One is the only American wine to be distributed through the Place de Bordeaux system!

3. Château Mouton Rothschild is not just a winery

Visit Château Mouton Rothschild and you’ll soon discover that this property is not merely a winery: It’s also a museum. Visitors to the estate will, of course, see all the state-of-the-art winemaking facilities and equipment and taste Château Mouton Rothschild wine. Pretty standard for a top château, right? Above and beyond that, the estate has its own museum and art gallery!

The Museum of Wine in Art is a breathtaking museum space housed in an old barrel cellar. The museum is a treasure trove of wine-related artefacts and is worth the trip to Pauillac alone. On top of that, there’s an art gallery space housing the original artwork of all of those iconic Mouton Rothschild wine labels. Picasso, Jeff Koons and Andy Warhol all in one place – what are you waiting for?

If a visit to Château Mouton Rothschild is not an option, the next best thing would be to grab a bottle. If you’re in doubt about which to choose, our bucket list wine has to be…

Château Mouton Rothschild 2005

Buy Château Mouton Rothschild 2005, and you’re getting more than a wine. The original artwork for this one comes from the famed Italian sculptor Giuseppe Penone and is a conceptual piece intended to evoke the image of the green-fingered winegrower or vigneron. It’s a collector’s item in and of itself.

Of course, you’re getting a wine too. The 2005 vintage in Bordeaux is the stuff of legend, and this is one of the top wines of the year. Robert Parker gave this one 96 points. It’s a full-bodied blockbuster wine with excellent blackberry fruit, succulent tannins and great length.

Have you tasted Château Mouton Rothschild? What is your favourite vintage? Tell us what you think of this estate in the comments below!

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What is a vintage wine rack?

It doesn’t matter if it’s high-end Pomerol or a bargain vino tinto, wine is a delicate thing and needs to be handled – and stored – with care. Wine investors have many options, from walk-in wine cellars to private storage, but for simplicity’s sake, nothing beats a vintage wine rack.

A vintage wine rack is a purpose-built rack or shelf in which you can safely and securely store your bottles of wine. Go to your local fine wine store and look at how wines are stored: You’re likely to find specialised shelving units of hardwood, designed to keep bottles of wine neat, tidy and safe. There are different designs and models available, but a good vintage wine rack will:

• Be sturdy and secure enough to hold your bottles without any risk of collapsing or similar.

• Have the ability to lie bottles securely on their side without the risk that they roll away or break. It is important to lie the bottles on their side so that the wine stays in contact with the cork, which prevents the cork from drying out and the wine itself going bad.

• Be located somewhere cool and dry, without any excessive fluctuations of temperature and not in any direct light.

Make your own vintage wine rack

Sounds good, right? It also sounds expensive. Your local wine store has one, but they can afford it. They also need one because of all those bottles they have. The average wine lover may not have the budget for a custom vintage wine rack and probably won’t have anywhere near the volume of wine that a retailer would have. Buying a big wine rack would either be too expensive or not cost efficient. There is an alternative, and that is making your own vintage wine rack!

Building your own bespoke wine storage rack doesn’t need to be very expensive, and you don’t need to be a DIY expert either. There are some ways that you can build your own wine rack, and the best is probably the simplest: get your hands on a vintage wine box (or ten) and whip one up yourself.

Building a vintage wine rack at home

1. Source a few Bordeaux-style vintage wine boxes. These are the wooden crates that fine wine is shipped in. They vary in size and capacity, but the most common hold 12 bottles of wine lying down. You can try your local wine retailer or search the net. Buy/source as many as you need, keeping in mind that one of these boxes will comfortably and safely fit 6 bottles following this design.
2. Remove one of the long side panels of each box.
3. Stack your boxes on top of each other and secure with an electric screwdriver or similar. Keep the exposed side of each box facing the same way, effectively creating shelves. Be careful not to stack the boxes too high to maintain structural security. If necessary build several “towers” of boxes side by side, and/or reinforce underneath.
4. Place your vintage wine rack somewhere cool and dry, and feed your bottles in on their side. Voila!

That’s our top tip for making a vintage wine rack at home at very little expense. Have you made one of these before? Show us examples of your own wine storage setup, homemade or otherwise!

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