2016 Château Puygueraud Francs Côtes de Bordeaux 750 ml

Many of our friends assume that when we're on our wine buying trips, we are galavanting at the world's most famous estates, eating foie gras and sipping on Pomerol worth something like $750 per glass. Rather than flocking to the obvious, our trips are more like a treasure hunt, chasing leads and discovering underdogs that deliver delicious wines at remarkable values. 

Recently, the quest brought us 6 miles east of Saint Émilion and Pomerol to an area that mimics much of the terroir from its pricey neighbors down the road, but is still relatively unknown in collector circles. The Thienpont family, who own and manage widely famous Le Pin and Vieux Château Certan, purchased Château Puygueraud in 1946. Since then, their leadership has turned the property into a flagship estate in the Right Bank's Côtes de Francs region.

Luckily for us, this regional obscurity means that we can indulge in the savoir-faire that produces the world's most expensive wine for a song. 

It's rare to see a Côtes de Bordeaux wine push the 90+ point threshold, or get reviewed at all. Not only did James Suckling give the 2016 Chateau Puygueraud 94 points, he adorned his review with straightforward praise: "This is so good! I want to drink it now." This release has lovely tension and plenty of stuffing, with flavors of black cherry and raspberry that glide across the palate towards an earthy, herbal, grippy, rustic finish.  

Of course, Nicolas Thienpont, who also manages Saint-Émilion properties Pavie-Macquin and Larcis Ducasse, regularly pumps out Bordeaux blockbusters in the high 90s. Down the road, Puygueraud's cousin Vieux Château Certan earned a whole 100 points from Wine Advocate for the same stellar 2016 vintage, only that wine is $340. 

Puygueraud is surrounded by soft hills and broad fields in Francs, where miles may stretch between winemaking neighbors. The property shares similar limestone-clay soils seen in Saint-Émilion that articulate density and firmly-packed tannins from the Merlot grape, which makes up 80% of the blend.  After 12 months in French oak, the wine flaunts attractive old-world tobacco spice and cedar. 

Like many of their grand estates, Château Puygueraud has the cellar-worthy old world charm that yet again proves that the Thienpont family has high-class Bordeaux winemaking down to a science. This may be the only wine that allows you to experience it every day.