2019 Chateau Marsau Francs Cotes de Bordeaux 750 ml

Robert Parker declared it over two decades ago: “Marsau is producing the sexiest, most sumptuous wine in the Côtes de Francs.” Once, he even mused about the under-the-radar Château Marsau being the Pétrus of that oft-overlooked appellation. 

Take one sip of their 2019 Francs Côtes de Bordeaux and you’ll understand the praise. Made entirely from Merlot, the wine boasts impressive concentration, gorgeously bold fruit, and a structure of iron-laced satin that will trick your palate into believing you ponied up far more than you did. 

Quality-wise, this 95-point Bordeaux find is closer to bottles bearing Pomerol and Saint-Émilion Grands Cru labels than it is to its price-point peers. As you’ll discover, Marsau’s home in the Côtes de Francs is still one of the best places in Bordeaux for value.

When we first tried the 2019, we knew it was going to go down with the best vintages of Marsau. Bold scents of wild plums, blackberry, tobacco, and a touch of earth rise out of the glass, drawing you in. Once you take a sip, you’re rewarded with a broad palate framed by firm yet velvety tannins and waves of seductive fruit. It’s a wine that could easily pass as Pomerol in its seductiveness and complexity.

At Château Marsau, the powerhouse Chadronnier family—one of the region’s most prestigious négociants—tends perfect Merlot vines. In the cellar, the grapes get the royal treatment under the guidance of star consultant Thomas Duclos, best known for his winemaking at Châteaux Canon and Troplong-Mondot. 

Enjoy this Côtes de Bordeaux now for its youthful zeal, or stash some away in your cellar and watch it gain in complexity over the coming decade and beyond.