2010 Chateau Saint-Pierre St. Julien 750 ml

Château Saint-Pierre’s impressive 97-point score puts their 2010 right between Left Bank superstar peers like the 96-point 2010 Château Palmer ($400+) and 98-point Château Margaux ($1,000+), yet its mere $119 price makes this St. Julien overachiever one of the most thrilling values from one of the greatest Bordeaux vintages of all time.

A Robert Parker “candidate for one of the top wines of this remarkable [2010] vintage,” we simply can’t keep this “brilliant wine” in stock ever since he alerted Bordeaux collectors to its incredible value.

And—though this timeless beauty will last through 2040 and beyond—it’s finally starting to come into its own. Back in 2013, Parker wrote that “this stunning effort should prove sensational if given 7-10 years of cellaring. ” We re-tasted it recently, and his prediction was spot on:

Showing just a hint of garnet around its dark purple core, the 2010 Saint-Pierre still feels young at heart with its ripe, primary cassis, black plum, and intense blackberry, though it has started to develop gorgeous tertiary notes of dried herbs, leather, tobacco, and licorice.

With its 78% Cabernet Sauvignon and 22% Merlot, there is a balanced tension of firm, fine tannins to the concentrated palate, while a mouthwatering acidity heightens the dried cherry and blackberry character. Leather and dried herbs persist through the long, cascading finish, which finally resolves on a pleasing hint of vanilla and clove.

Even in historic vintages like 2010, where quality was extraordinary across the board, there are always a few collectible wines that stand out for their quality and comparatively low price.

This Saint-Pierre might be the single finest value from 2010, a benchmark vintage that Robert Parker described as “prodigious,” before going on to write, “I have tasted enough wines from 2005, 2009 and 2010 to realize that these may be the three greatest Bordeaux vintages I have tasted in my career.”

We were certain our last opportunity to offer the legendary 2010 had come and passed when we visited the property last year. Walking through the tank room with proprietor Jean-Louis Triaud, we were reminded of the sort of no-frills, function-over-form winery that Saint-Pierre embodies to keep its focus on the quality. In a region where the estate’s neighbors often pour their resources into elaborately decorated cellars and artistic architectural installations, Saint-Pierre focuses on what’s in the bottle.

The consistently amazing results tend to thus fly under the radar, keeping prices low while historically attracting savvy collectors who’ve done their homework. As faithful students of Saint-Pierre, we couldn’t resist letting slip to Jean-Louis how much we loved his 2010 vintage. 

As it turned out, he had a small amount which the winery had been saving for a rainy day.

Though the sun was shining bright, we quickly locked it down, and couldn’t be more thrilled to offer this once again to collectors and Bordeaux lovers alike. At this price and at this age, the 97-point 2010 Château Saint-Pierre is a wine for both tonight’s table and tomorrow’s cellar.

It will go the distance. Purchase accordingly.