Best Cru Bourgeois 2019 wines tasted en primeur
With the new Cru Bourgeois rankings released in February 2020, Jane Anson tasted a number of newly classified estates in this year's en primeur report, see her top-rated wines...
A total of 249 châteaux were included in the 2020 ranking, comprising 14 crus bourgeois exceptionnels, 56 crus bourgeois supérieurs and 179 crus bourgeois.
Scroll down for Jane Anson’s top-scoring Crus Bourgeois en primeur tasting notes and scores
Holding over the vintages 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022, this year’s en primeurs was a prime time to see the effects of the judging decision and for estates to start marketing their wines under the new titles.
Jane Anson believes that all the estates named Exceptionnel in 2020 ‘deserved their ranking’ and highlighted Belle-Vue, Cambon la Pelouse, Le Boscq and Lilian Ladouys as particular stand-outs.
Anson also pointed out several Supérieurs she would ‘have been happy to see at the higher level’ including Fourcas-Borie, La Tour de Mons and Sérilhan.
Below is a list of the best-scoring Cru Bourgeois wines, all scoring 91 points or above. It includes nine exceptionnels and nine supérieurs giving both classificaiton levels equal numbers. There are four wines at 93 points, five wines at 92 points and nine wines at 91 points.
Not only are these wines lauded for their quality but they also represent excellent value. An Anson said in her report; ‘The best cru bourgeois estates have levels of investment in both viticulture and vinification that differ very little, if at all, from those at neighbouring 1855-classified châteaux. And yet the prices they can hope to receive differ widely.’
Many of the wines listed below can be found for less than £20 a bottle with the majority under £15. For instance at:
93 points
Château Belle-Vue, Haut-Médoc (Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel), £12.50
Château Le Crock, St-Estèphe (Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel), £18.16
Château Lilian Ladouys, St-Estèphe (Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel), £12
92 points
Château Serilhan, St-Estèphe (Cru Bourgeois Supérieur), £13.75
Château Charmail, Haut-Médoc (Cru Bourgeois Supérieur), £13.67
91 points
Château De Gironville, Médoc (Cru Bourgeois Supérieur), £9.17 in bond
Château Tour des Termes, St-Estèphe (Cru Bourgeois Supérieur), £13.33
All prices were correct at the time for either the 2019 or 2018 vintages. Actual prices for wines not yet released may vary.
See Jane Anson’s top-scoring Crus Bourgeois en primeur tasting notes and scores
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Château Lilian Ladouys, St-Estèphe, Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel, Bordeaux, France, 2019
A new Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel, freshly minted this year (from the 2018 vintage). I would put this right up there with the best vintages from...
2019
Château Lilian LadouysSt-Estèphe
Château Belle-Vue, Haut-Médoc, Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel, Bordeaux, France, 2019
Deep purple colour, medium to full intensity, and a feeling of confident tannic hold from the off. Such an impressive run of vintages at this...
2019
Château Belle-VueHaut-Médoc
Château Arnauld, Haut-Médoc, Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel, Bordeaux, France, 2019
A new Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel this year, on excellent terroir just to the north of the Margaux appellation. Beautifully bright violet colour, and extremely smooth...
2019
Château ArnauldHaut-Médoc
Château Le Crock, St-Estèphe, Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel, Bordeaux, France, 2019
Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel as of the 2018 vintage, this is a totally gorgeous wine with sleek damson fruits and a clear pocket of air running...
2019
Château Le CrockSt-Estèphe
Château Le Boscq, St-Estèphe, Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel, Bordeaux, France, 2019
A new Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel, owned by Vignobles Dourthe, here showing why it's an estate worth taking seriously. They have gone full power on the...
2019
Château Le BoscqSt-Estèphe
Château d’Agassac, Haut-Médoc, Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel, Bordeaux, France, 2019
A newly-christened Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel flexing its muscles here. Blackberry and cassis fruits, gentle tannins that build up through the palate and turn almost chewy...
2019
Château d’AgassacHaut-Médoc
Château Sérilhan, St-Estèphe, Cru Bourgeois Supérieur, Bordeaux, France, 2019
First year as Cru Bourgeois Superieur, and what a tough year to take advantage of this new classification. But this clearly shows why it deserves...
2019
Château SérilhanSt-Estèphe
Château la Fortune, Margaux, Cru Bourgeois Supérieur, Bordeaux, France, 2019
A small (for Margaux) property of 2.6ha, located close to Labégorce, with some clear austerity coming through on the attack. Blueberry fruits with a cooling...
2019
Château la FortuneMargaux
Château Moulin de La Rose, St-Estèphe, Cru Bourgeois Supérieur, Bordeaux, France, 2019
A Cru Bourgeois Superieur from Jean-François Delon, one of the few small family estates in St Julien. Strong blackberry and blackcurrant bud flavours with floral...
2019
Château Moulin de La RoseSt-Estèphe
Château de Malleret, Haut-Médoc, Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel, Bordeaux, France, 2019
Cassis, brambly fruit and liquorice root with touches of bitter chocolate. This is ripe and round but has good Médocain menthol freshness on the finish....
2019
Château de MalleretHaut-Médoc
Château Charmail, Haut-Médoc, Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel, Bordeaux, France, 2019
This has all the right elements to be successful; austerity without being off putting, cassis and blackberry fruits that are welcoming and give an extra...
2019
Château CharmailHaut-Médoc
Château Malescasse, Haut-Médoc, Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel, Bordeaux, France, 2019
Raspberry and cassis fruits, attractively textured rippling tannins and a creamy swirl of caramel and coffee that adds sweetness but is balanced by Left Bank...
2019
Château MalescasseHaut-Médoc
Château La Tour de Mons, Margaux, Cru Bourgeois Supérieur, Bordeaux, France, 2019
Now owned by the team at Labegorce and Marquis d'Alesme, and it's an enjoyable vintage with evident juice and grip running through the palate. Always...
2019
Château La Tour de MonsMargaux
Château La Clare, Haut-Médoc, Cru Bourgeois Supérieur, Bordeaux, France, 2019
An enjoyable Jean Guyon estate with fully burnished grilled oak and damson notes, held together with attractive acidities that keep things high and focused through...
2019
Château La ClareHaut-Médoc
Château Tour des Termes, St-Estèphe, Cru Bourgeois Supérieur, Bordeaux, France, 2019
A consistently enjoyable St Estèphe, this has ripe black fruits, crushed mint leaf and touches of cedar, fairly high acidity but it carries it off...
2019
Château Tour des TermesSt-Estèphe
Château du Retout, Haut-Médoc, Cru Bourgeois, Bordeaux, France, 2019
This is an excellent quality Cru Bourgeois located in Cussac-Fort-Médoc, with spice, black pepper and touches of cinnamon and cassis notes. I really like how...
2019
Château du RetoutHaut-Médoc
Château Cap Léon Veyrin, Listrac, Cru Bourgeois Supérieur, Bordeaux, France, 2019
Owned by Julien and Nathalie Meyre, this 20ha estate is located to the north of Listrac on gravel and sandy soils. Good intensity to the...
2019
Château Cap Léon VeyrinListrac
Château De Gironville, Haut-Médoc, Cru Bourgeois Supérieur, Bordeaux, France, 2019
Héritiers Vincent Mulliez have been making this an increasingly notable Haut-Médoc over the past few years and continues its success here. Notably confident but understated...
2019
Château De GironvilleHaut-Médoc