30 top Bordeaux wines under £30

Far from being the exclusive preserve of big spenders, Bordeaux offers a range of great value wines in a variety of different styles. John Stimpfig introduces Decanter’s hand-picked selection of bottles that are perfect for everyday drinking...

Thirty years ago, top Bordeaux wasn’t quite as cheap as chips, but it was certainly a lot less expensive than it is today. Suffice to say that an awful lot has changed since then – and mostly at the apex of the Bordeaux pyramid, where prices for region’s great crus classés have risen to the point where many drinkers have been priced out of the market.

No doubt châteaux owners would argue that the market ultimately sets the price for their increasingly deluxe labels. In addition, they would (quite rightly) point out that quality has gone up exponentially in the last two or three decades. Concurrently, the quantity of grand vin has gone down by an equally significantly amount, thereby justifying many of the attendant increases.

Scroll down for Decanter’s pick of the top 30 Bordeaux wines under £30

However, the law of unintended consequences has also meant that Bordeaux in general has suffered from an often negative and widespread image as being poor value for money.This is unfair, unfortunate and inaccurate. Not least because the 100 or so most expensive and best-known estates represent a tiny minority of the region’s total production of dry red, white and rosé, not to mention its sweet and sparkling styles.

In fact, the reality is that there are literally thousands of passionate, quality-conscious producers and châteaux crafting varied, delicious and affordable wines that too often pass under the radar. As is usually the case, you just need to know where to look and what to buy.

This shouldn’t be surprising. After all Bordeaux is a massive region that generates huge volumes. It also functions as a vast hub of accumulated winemaking expertise and talent. Commercial reality dictates that most producers need to make good, affordable wine in order to be competitive. More often than not, in my view, Bordeaux over-delivers at mid-market price-points.

With that in mind, we have put together a very varied list of 30 Bordeaux wines, all costing under £30, in order to highlight the value and range that the region offers. Impressively, half of these wines cost £20 or less – and several are below £10 a bottle.

You may be surprised to know that this was not a difficult list to compile. In fact, we could do this every month for a year and still have plenty of exciting and authentic ‘everyday’ Bordeaux wines left over, all of which would be eminently worthy of your wallet and cellar.

This particular collection comes from areas on both banks of the Gironde and several different vintages. The wines also appear in a range of colours, styles and sweetness levels to reflect Bordeaux’s brilliant and burgeoning diversity. The reds are from serious terroirs – including both the more established appellations of St-Emilion, Pauillac and Moulis, as well as the up-and-coming Côtes. The same goes for the dry and moelleux whites from Pessac and Sauternes.

Naturally, each wine offers a different proposition. Some are merchant or supermarket own-labels; others are so-called second wines or ‘petits châteaux’. Some have been fashioned by Bordeaux’s starriest and most established names, such as the recently profiled Denis Durantou; others are made by relative newcomers. You’ll also find wellknown consultants, established négociants and classed-growth châteaux on the list.

Many of these wines are ready to drink, but some will continue to age, especially a number of reds from the outstanding 2015 and 2016 vintages. My firm view is that Bordeaux has never made better wines – at all quality levels and price-points. What’s more, it continues to do so with its own unique signature. And best of all by far, the phrase ‘good value Bordeaux wine’ is NOT an oxymoron.

See the top 30 Bordeaux wines under £30