Château Les Grands Sillons was founded in the 1920s by Philippe Dignac’s great grandfather, Bernard Thibeaut; Philippe now currently runs the estate along with his son, Stéphane. The two have been flying under the radar with their elegant, refined expressions of Right Bank Bordeaux for quite some time—though recently, they have garnered praise from many French wine critics and connoisseurs. I was lucky enough to discover these guys at a recent Bordeaux tasting, where I fell in love with their 2010 Pomerol. You most likely know that 2010 was a great year in France for many regions, and Bordeaux was no exception. Excellent weather and growing conditions coupled with classic iron-rich clay soils yielded beautiful wines for many Pomerol estates, especially the small ones who tediously farm, sort and handcraft their wines. Philippe and Stéphane sustainably farm their vineyards, comprised of mostly Merlot, followed by Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. The vines are planted in classic Pomerol soil types: alluvial sand with gravel over iron-rich clay (known locally as crasse de fer). The father and son duo oversee handpicking of the grapes, followed by an initial sort in the vineyards and a second sort in the cellar before fermentation in concrete vats. Aging is carried out in an equal combination of new, twice, and three times used oak; the wine is ultimately bottled without filtration. To taste such a refined expression of Right Bank Bordeaux from a small, dedicated estate is a pleasure. To enjoy Bordeaux of this quality, at such an affordable price point, is nearly unheard of.