2015 Chateau Bel-Air Cuvee Jean et Gabriel Lussac-Saint-Émilion 750 ml

When cult winemakers point out value wines, we listen. So when mastermind consultant Benoit Touquette, the man who’s kept Screaming Eagle, Ovid, and Realm at the top, suggested we put down our Napa Cab and pick up this bargain Lussac-St.-Émilion, we did. 

And we were blown away by the lively aromatics of black currant, red plums, and violets that leapt from the glass. Across the palate, layers of ripe black fruit, crushed herbs, and graphite minerality (the type we’re used to finding in $100 classed-growths) unfolded. Touquette just smiled.

Château Bel-Air is a tiny producer whose wines are hoarded by locals and the handful of private retailers that can secure an allocation, but after our tasting with Touquette, we wouldn’t be deterred. Instead, we added a detour to their headquarters on our July trip to Bordeaux, and today we’re sharing this deal from coast to coast.

Château Bel-Air is a sprawling property with 21 hectares of vines, all of them spreading out on a plateau of clay and silica gravel. It’s been in the Roi family for over 100 years, and their dedication to the land was immediately evident: This is more than their work…it’s their calling.

None other than Stéphane Derenoncourt, who has consulted on the internationally clamored-for wines of Les Carmes Haut-Brion, Smith Haut Lafitte, and more, crafted this wine from the top lots on the property. The vines average 50 years old, which lends a depth of concentration that is just stunning. It’s aged in 50% new French oak for 18 months before being bottled, adding impeccable flavors of baking spice and herbs in addition to softening the tannins, making this a wine that’s amazing in the short-term and also fit for cellaring.

We loved everything about this wine, but because only 6,000 bottles were ever produced, we could only secure a small allocation for our members. 

We never would have guessed a Napa winemaker with a history for triple-digit-priced wines would lead us to a Bordeaux of this scarcity and deliciousness, but that’s one of the joys of our work. We’re thrilled to pass it along to you.