Best-selling claret: Top Bordeaux wines under $30
There's plenty of great-value wines among the top-selling, lower-priced Bordeaux reds in the USA. Stacy Slinkard tasted through the bottles that fly off the shelves and recommends the everyday wines that are worth seeking out.
Both the Right and Left Bank have plenty to offer for everyday drinking – if you know where to look.
To distil down the best affordable claret buys in the US, I reached out to numerous US wine merchants to identify their top sellers. Astor Wines, JJ Buckley, K&L Wine Merchants, Wine.com and Zachys were chosen for their broad Bordeaux selections, customer-focused sales and shipping capabilities.
Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for our top 10 Bordeaux wines under $30
Along with Jane Anson and Andy Howard MW, I then selected the best buys under $30 from these five American merchants.
I tasted everything from a 2016 biodynamic bottle from Pomerol to a handful of stellar Haut-Médoc ambassadors, and a tiny-production bottling of Vieux Château St André 2016 from St-Emilion’s smallest satellite appellation (and the home estate of Jean-Claude Berrouet, the humble winemaker behind 45 vintages of Petrus).
Value meets quality
While Bordeaux has a reputation for expensive bottles, according to renowned wine educator Kevin Zraly, 80% of Bordeaux wines in the US are sold in the $8-$25 price range and are ready to be consumed within a year or two of release.
Michele Weiss Jensen, wine buyer at Zachys, agrees, sharing: ‘We’ve always had success with the under-$25 wines from the Right Bank, especially in St-Emilion and some of the Côtes de Bordeaux, but we’re seeing even more movement with this price point on the Left Bank as well. The 2015s from Margaux and Haut-Médoc are good examples.’
Curious what distinguishes a $30 bottle from a $300 bottle of Bordeaux? You’re not alone.
Key factors are vintage year and ratings, prestigious vineyard sites, older vines, lower yields, ageing in new oak and châteaux reputations.
The great châteaux in top vintages will naturally command the highest prices, and their wines will usually require at least a decade of ageing.
For earlier accessibility, look to second labels, Right Bank bottles that lean into Merlot, or producers with a reputation for building quality and value into their price points. These wines can be lighter in body and mature faster, often showing understated fruit, an easygoing elegance and versatile food-pairing capabilities.
Wilfred Wong, Wine.com’s chief storyteller and wine reviewer, echoes these sentiments on what consumers can expect from Bordeaux at more accessible price points: ‘While the world of wines continues to evolve – with red wines becoming more extracted and sweeter – red Bordeaux has stayed true to its past.
In today’s market, Bordeaux under $25 offers red and black fruit, a firm palate, earth and spice. Bordeaux APs and Bordeaux Supérieur remain some of the best dinner-wine options available globally.’
One quick tip: the vintages in Bordeaux from 2015-2018 have been unusually consistent and well rated (averaging in the mid-to-upper 90pts for overall vintage ratings) on both banks.
Bordeaux wines under $30: The full list with stockists & prices
Tasting notes below
91 Château Fombrauge, St-Émilion (Grand Cru Classé) 2016 – JJ Buckley $29.94
92 Château Le Rey, Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux 2018 – JJ Buckley $27.94
91 Vieux Château Saint André, St-Émilion (Montagne-St-Émilion) 2016 – Zachys $24.99
90 Château Cantemerle, Les Allées de Cantemerle, Haut-Médoc 2015 – Zachys $26.99
91 Château Greysac, Haut-Médoc (Cru Bourgeois) 2015 – Wine.com $23.99
91 Château Bellevue Peycharneau, Bordeaux Supérieur 2016 – Wine.com $19.99
90 Château Peyrabon, Haut-Médoc (Cru Bourgeois) 2016 – Klwines.com $19.99
91 Château de Malleret, Haut-Médoc (Cru Bourgeois) 2015 – Klwines.com $19.99
90 Château Cantelaudette, Graves-de-Vayres 2015 – Astor Wines & Spirits $23.96
90 Château Dauzac, La Bordeaux de Dauzac, Margaux (5ème Cru Classé) 2018 – Astor Wines & Spirits $21.99
Our experts’ top 10 US picks: Bordeaux wines under $30
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Château Le Rey, Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France, 2018
From limestone soils and curiously packaged in a classic slope-shouldered Burgundy bottle, this beauty brings delicious blueberry, blackberry, and liquorice aromas with a sprinkle of cocoa on a fuller-bodied format. Expressive and focused with firm tannins and a generous finish.
2018
Château Le ReyCastillon Côtes de Bordeaux
Château Bellevue Peycharneau, Bordeaux Supérieur, Bordeaux, France, 2016
Arguably one of the best value Bordeaux bottles on the US market, the 2016 showcases rich, juicy cherry and plum aromas followed by velvety tannins, a fuller body and remarkable food pairing capabilities. Give this a go with braised beef short ribs or roasted lamb.
2016
Château Bellevue PeycharneauBordeaux Supérieur
Château de Malleret, Haut-Médoc, Cru Bourgeois, Bordeaux, France, 2015
From the fantastic 2015 vintage, this Cru Bourgeois is as committed to making exceptional wine as it is to breeding top of the line dressage horses. Rich, ripe and bursting with dark fruit character, wisps of smoke, tobacco and leather leave an enduring mark on the full-throttle finish.
2015
Château de MalleretHaut-Médoc
Château Fombrauge, St-Émilion, Grand Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2016
There is a lot of energy to engage with on this powerfully built Grand Cru Classé from Bernard Magrez. Ripe blackberry and black cherry kick things off with warm baking spice and tobacco debuting next on this medium-bodied, well-structured, full-finish wine.
2016
Château FombraugeSt-Émilion
Vieux Chateau Saint André, St-Émilion, Montagne-St-Émilion, Bordeaux, France, 2016
From the stellar 2016 vintage, this limited production bottling comes from St-Emilion’s smallest satellite appellation and the home estate of Jean-Claude Berrouet, iconic winemaker behind 45 vintages of Pétrus. Focused black fruit gives way to well-woven tannins and distinct mid-palate concentration.
2016
Vieux Chateau Saint AndréSt-Émilion
Château Greysac, Haut-Médoc, Cru Bourgeois, Bordeaux, France, 2015
A mix of clay and limestone soils give rise to an elegant balanced effort in this Cru Bourgeois from the Médoc. Ripe red berry, earthy undertones, a whiff of tobacco and well-woven structure are all wrapped up in a medium-bodied, food-friendly package.
2015
Château GreysacHaut-Médoc
Château Cantelaudette, Graves-de-Vayres, Bordeaux, France, 2015
The varied soil structure of silt, sand and clay along the Dordogne river provide the foundation for the unique microclimate of the Graves region and a desirable environment for Merlot to thrive. Merlot dominates the bottle with cherry and cocoa nuances, supple tannins, and warm savoury spice.
2015
Château CantelaudetteGraves-de-Vayres
Château Cantemerle, Les Allées de Cantemerle, Haut-Médoc, Bordeaux, France, 2015
As the second label of Château Cantemerle featuring fruit sourced from the estate’s younger vines, this bottle brings a 60-40 blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Polished black fruit marries cherry and an earth-driven herbal nuance. Pliable tannins give way to violets and spice on the flavourful finish.
2015
Château CantemerleHaut-Médoc
Château Dauzac, La Bordeaux de Dauzac, Margaux, 5ème Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2018
This bottle is hard to beat when it comes to quality to price ratios. Leaning heavily into Cabernet Sauvignon, this blend spotlights a lovely balance of generous fruit, firm structure and lively acidity. Perfect for pairing with burgers and bratwursts.
2018
Château DauzacMargaux
Château Peyrabon, Haut-Médoc, Cru Bourgeois, Bordeaux, France, 2016
Built on some serious Cabernet Sauvignon, this blend runs full throttle into rich, ripe black fruit motifs with plenty of structural support from grippy and energetic tannins that are well balanced by bright acidity, engaging textures, and a lingering finish.
2016
Château PeyrabonHaut-Médoc
