Most Underrated Bordeaux?

WINE TALK
21

Yes, Cantemerle for sure, and Lagune as well.

Plus:
du Tertre
Carbonnieux (the white especially but the red can be very good too)
Boyd Cantenac
Chauvin
Grand Mayne (but style has shifted dramatically, and for the worse in my book, since 2000)
Dominique (but style has shifted dramatically, and for the worse in my book, since 2000)

22

Grand Puy Lacoste
D’Armailhac
Sociando Mallet
Gloria

23

Did I beat Alfert to Sociando Mallet?

Also I’m a fan of Cantemerle, but haven’t seen the best performance post 2005 from this house.


Edit never mind. He types too quickly [truce.gif]

24

#winning

Notice I put it Third so that I’m not as much of a broken record as I think I am, lol.

25

For the record. You may be the reason why I have a case of 80’s and 90’s Sociando getting delivered tomorrow.

TW

26

you are more of a “Pied Piper” . . .

27

Ha, consider me jealous. And flattered. Beware I have a yak palate.

28

I’m cautiously optimistic, you didn’t do yourself any favors with the Gonon tasting note earlier! I’ve heard that northern Rhône plonk is perfect yak fodor.

29

+1 on Chevalier

30

I stopped buying super seconds et al after 2004, and since 2009 have been snagging wines in the $20-40 range (Bottom feeding as far as the population of this board goes.) Lanessan, often below this range, is obvious. Poujeaux has been inconsistent - I find 2009 anonymous and the 2010 quite nice. I love the savoriness and umame of 2009 Larrivet Haut Brion but haven’t explored any others. Looking into 2016 Cantmerle thanks to the constant drum beat of a certain Florida hick lawyer yak palate. Will probably backfill and taste some older vintages before plunging in more. And taking a flyer on 2014 Brown as NM’s tasting note mentions the savory notes, which I loved in the 2009 LHB above.
I did buy some 2014 Giscours, but that was at the right price of 39.99. I’m trying to avoid wines that may need more than 10-15 years of cellaring at this point, and Giscours probably will need a little more.

31

I’d vote for Cantemerle, even their label is calm and avoids flashiness.

btw, their 1983 is still drinking great

32

La dame de montrose

33

Fonbadet.

34

Larcis Ducasse.

35

Can a wine like Cantemerle or Sociando Mallet be underrated if most people on this thread think they are underrated? They can be good, they can be values, but can they be underrated?

36

I would say yes, relative to the market as a whole. Very few of my friends know of Sociando and Cantemerle. I think you could even make the claim on most wine boards. There are a couple handful of folks who tout them, but do they really get the play like other Classified Growths or trendy St Ems? They are mostly highlighted for their value, rather than how excellent they can be irrespective of price considerations. I’m ok with that, keeps prices low.

37

Other than my wine geek friends, I doubt any of my friends have ever heard of Ausone or Cheval Blanc - even friends who drink a decent amount of wine. But, they have heard of Silver Oak.

38

Any thoughts on 2015 vs 2016?

39

Older btls at retailers who do auctions. I’m 63 and love finding random btl from 1996 and back from retailers and Envoyer. Unless, you buying the top 5-10 producers like LaMish, there are amazing 15yr old+nearly ready to fully ready to drink values to be had often for less than release of the big names. Old Leoville Bartons can be had for easily less than $200. Lagrange is very cheap if you like the richness of the style.

40

I don’t follow ratings, so I will define “underrated” as “relative value in the marketplace IMHO”. Some of these are downright cheap, others not so much, but I believe they all punch above their weight. I know some of these have been mentioned already.

2nd: Gruaud Larose
3rd: Calon Segur
4th: Beychevelle
5th: Cantemerle
St E: La Tour Figeac
Graves: Olivier
Pomerol: Le Gay
Haut Medoc: Sociando Mallet (needless to say); runner up: Chasse Spleen