2019 Chateau Paloumey Les Ailes de Paloumey Haut-Medoc Bordeaux 750 ml

These days, it’s hard to believe that Château Paloumey’s vineyards once lay fallow.

The Cru Bourgeois Superior estate sits a short jog away from Third Growth La Lagune and Fifth Growth Cantemerle, in a warm microclimate that's ideal for viticulture. By anyone’s definition, it’s a coveted Bordeaux terroir.

But in the 1950s, its former owners had to abandon the vineyard and château due to financial troubles—and once it fell into disrepair, it just sat there. Finally in 1989, the Cazeneuve family purchased the property and set about revolutionizing their little corner of the Haut-Médoc.

These days, Paloumey is a leader not only in excellent value Bordeaux, but also in the creation of biodiversity in the vineyard—though they’d convincingly argue that they go hand in hand.

They sacrifice nearly 10% of their overall yields when planting vineyards, choosing to replace land that would normally be allocated to vines with trees and shrubs instead. Their most recent conversion included 135 different species of trees and shrubs—all in the name of creating a more sustainable ecosystem that helps their vineyards stay healthier and thrive.

In 2019—an outstanding vintage that will thrill lovers of classical Bordeaux—those Merlot, Cabernet, and Cabernet Franc vines produced impeccable grapes that combined succulent fruit with vibrant brightness. Les Ailes—technically the second wine of the estate—saw a full year of aging in French oak. A third of that was new, providing a polish and hints of non-sweet dark chocolate to go along with the ripe blackberries, black cherries, and hints of graphite the wine flaunts. It’s a remarkable wine for the price, but given the estate that produces it, we aren’t surprised.