Bordeaux 2018 wines in bottle: Best-value wines under £20/$28

In her Bordeaux 2018 in bottle report, Jane Anson discovered some outstanding wines from across the famous appellation’s left and right banks – spanning red, white and sweet styles – and she also found pockets of great value within the vintage.

Scroll down to see Jane Anson’s best-value Bordeaux 2018 tasting notes and scores

Many of the wines below fall into the 91-93 point range, but in her report Anson was keen to praise wines that acheived 94-points, which, she says, can offer tremendous value albeit often at a slightly higher price point.

’I would once again like to draw attention to the 94 points level,’ she said. ‘This for me is a real sweet spot, and I always underline just how much pleasure they give – they are at the very top of the Highly Recommended band (90-94 points using the Decanter system), and there are a ton of great wines at this level.’

Anson highlighted in particular; Langoa Barton, Prieuré Lichine, Lafon Rochet, Haut-Batailley, La Clotte, Bellefont-Belcier, Clos du Clocher, Gazin, La Serre and Couhins Lurton and said ‘this is only a selection, there are around 40 wines at this level, almost as many as all of the Exceptional and Outstanding wines that stretch from 95 to 100 points.

The other score level that Anson wanted to comment on was was 89 points. She wrote: ‘We seem to have entirely forgotten than wines scoring just under 90 often offer brilliant values and unfussy pleasure.

‘Châteaux often get upset at receiving scores at this level, but for a consumer this is another sweet spot that I look out for if the price and construction of the wine corresponds to something that is built for early to medium term drinking.’

Value picks

The following list comprises wines highlighted as ‘value picks’ by Anson in her report and underneath are those that can be found for around the £20/$28 mark.

St-Estèphe

Château Le Boscq, Château Le Crock, Château Charmant, Château Haut-Marbuzet

Pauillac

Domaine les Sadons, Château Haut-Bages Monpelou.

St-Julien

Le Petit Ducru (previously Lalande-Borie)

Margaux

Château Deyrem Valentin, Château Grand Tayac

Médoc

Château Beaumont, Château Malescasse, Château Belle-Vue, Château Caronne Ste-Gemme, Domaine Andron, Château Les Vimières

Pessac-Léognan

Château la Garde

St-Emilion

Croix de Labrie Croix de Labrie, Château Laroze

Pomerol

Château Guillot-Clauzel, Château Bonalgue

Sauternes

Château d’Arche

Anson’s Bordeaux 2018 value picks priced under £20/$28* (tasting notes below)

Château Deyrem Valentin – £16.90/$23.10

Château Grand Tayac – £20/$27.30

Château Beaumont – £9.50/$13

Château Malescasse – £12/$16.40

Château Belle-Vue – £12.30/$16.80

Château Caronne Ste-Gemme – £11/$15

Château Haut-Bages Monpelou – £20/$27.30

Château La Garde – £15/$20.50

Château Bonalgue – £20/$27.30

Château Laroze – £19.50/$26.70

Château Le Boscq – £20/$27.30

Château Le Crock – £20/$27.30

Château d’Arche – £17.30/$23.70

*The prices are based on in-bond prices of the 2018 vintage or of previous vintages that are currently available in the market.

Jane Anson’s best-value Bordeaux 2018 in bottle

You might also like: 

Full report on Bordeaux 2018 in the bottle

Top Bordeaux 2018 Left Bank wines in the bottle

Top Bordeaux 2018 Right Bank wines report