Bordeaux

Shop All Bordeaux

One river splits Bordeaux into two banks, and centuries of friendly rivalry run between them. That is Bordeaux in a sentence. The Left Bank gives firm, structured reds led by Cabernet Sauvignon. The Right Bank answers with rounder, softer wines led by Merlot. Our collection holds both, everyday Médoc through to First Growth, every Bordeaux wine kept in perfect condition right to your door.

Our Producers

We carry two of the original 1855 First Growths, Château Margaux and Château Haut-Brion, plus classified estates across the Médoc and Pessac-Léognan. Most of Bordeaux sells through a merchant network called La Place, and we sidestep it where we can, bringing in the Pomerol estates ourselves. A few of the names you will find here:

  • Château Margaux is a First Growth, the Médoc at its most refined and perfumed.
  • Château Haut-Brion is the First Growth of Pessac-Léognan, and the oldest great name in Bordeaux.
  • Château Palmer sits in Margaux, rated at First Growth level by many critics.
  • Château Cos d'Estournel brings an exotic, spiced edge to Saint-Estèphe.
  • Château Ducru-Beaucaillou and Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion makes a singular, Cabernet Franc-rich style on the edge of the city.
  • Château Belle-Brise and Château Corlacy are small, characterful Pomerol estates.
  • The Lafleur family offers a gentler way into a legendary Bordeaux name through Château Grand Village, as well as its Les Perrières and Les Champs Libres labels.

Other estates in the range include Château Canon, Château Rauzan-Ségla and Château Haut-Bailly, with everyday Médoc reds from Potensac and Mauvesin Barton alongside them.

Ageing

Bordeaux ages beautifully, though not every bottle needs the wait. Everyday Médoc and Haut-Médoc reds drink well on release and through their first decade. Classified Left Bank estates from a strong vintage such as 2016, 2019 or 2020 will develop for fifteen to thirty years, trading firm tannin for savoury complexity. Right Bank Merlot softens sooner. Magnums slow the curve further still, and the sweet wines of Sauternes last for decades in a good vintage.

Choosing by Occasion

  • A weeknight roast or steak: an everyday Médoc from Château Potensac or Mauvesin Barton.
  • Sunday lamb or game: a classified Saint-Julien or Saint-Estèphe, where structure meets savoury depth.
  • A softer red for dinner guests: a Pomerol from Château Belle-Brise or Corlacy.
  • To mark an occasion: a First Growth, Château Margaux or Haut-Brion, or Château Palmer.
  • One for the cellar: a classified Left Bank red from 2019 or 2020, ideally in magnum.

How to Serve

Serve red Bordeaux between sixteen and eighteen degrees. Our local summers push that higher, so a short chill before pouring helps in warm weather. Young, tannic Left Bank reds want a few hours of decanting. Right Bank Merlot needs less, often half an hour. Decant mature wines gently to leave the sediment behind, then pour. A large glass with a wide bowl gives the aromatics room to show.

FAQ

1. What is a Bordeaux blend? A Bordeaux blend combines two or more of the region's permitted grapes rather than relying on one. The reds centre on Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, with Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and occasionally Malbec in support. Left Bank wines lead with Cabernet Sauvignon for structure. Right Bank wines lead with Merlot for softness. The white blends pair Sauvignon Blanc with Sémillon. Blending lets a producer balance each grape's strengths and even out the differences between vintages.

2. Is Bordeaux wine expensive? IIs Bordeaux wine expensive? It ranges widely. The famous classified estates are historic, and global demand keeps their prices high. Plenty of the collection sits lower than that, though. Everyday Médoc reds and well-made Haut-Médoc estates offer real quality at gentler prices, so there is good Bordeaux at most levels.

3. Left Bank or Right Bank, which should I choose? It depends on the wine you enjoy. Choose the Left Bank for structured, firmer reds led by Cabernet Sauvignon, well suited to red meat and to time in the cellar. Choose the Right Bank for rounder, softer Merlot-led wines that drink well younger and suit lighter dishes. The easiest way in is to try one of each and taste the difference for yourself.