Back in 2012, Jancis Robinson revisited the 2008 Bordeaux vintage and concluded with the following: “If you wanted to put one case of very smart red Bordeaux in your cellar for consumption, 2008 is worth considering.” Wedged between the critically acclaimed wines of ‘05 and ’09, 2008 has been overshadowed and as such, it’s a vintage brimming with primed and affordable wines. For those seeking amazing value, these are the wines to jump on—they have not once failed me when I’ve flaunted their worth in a blind tasting. 

The 19th-century property of Château Le Meynieu is located in a hamlet due west of Saint-Estèphe, and the owner behind today’s label, Les Domaines Pedro, is a small farming society (they own 35 hectares between three properties) that has opened my eyes to what true Bordeaux value is. After re-tasting this wine when it arrived at our warehouse, it confirmed everything we had previously discovered back in Bordeaux: the wine is a sensation! 

Thirty-year-old vines are farmed sustainably and picked later than usual to ensure a perfectly ripe crop is selected. In the winery, a traditional yet temperature-controlled fermentation follows before the juice is transferred into French oak (40% new). After 15 months of barrel aging and an occasional racking, the final wine is bottled without filtration. As mentioned, the allocation we purchased for you was stored in their underground cellars until it was shipped to us late last year.

Now, onto the main attraction: tasting! Le Meynieu’s 2008 pours a garnet core that melds into a brick-orange rim with noticeably fine sediment. To avoid the brunt of it, stand the bottle upright (cork intact) several days before drinking and then when the occasion arises, slowly decant and leave the remaining ounce or two in the bottle. That being said, the wine didn’t need much time to flaunt its goods: Within minutes of resting in my Bordeaux stem, it erupted with ultra-supple notes of dried black cherry, currants, plums, tree bark, dusty gravel, tobacco leaf, green peppercorns, and pencil lead with a delicate touch of underbrush and spice. At this price, it’s a perfectly stored wine marvel that highlights one of the finest terroirs on the planet. The palate provides silky, integrated tannins alongside prickles of enlivening acidity that push the wine into a lengthy finish. After 11 years, you can’t ask for more classic quality than this. In order to complement all of its savory earth and the brilliantly developed fruits at play here, match it with a short ribs dish embellished with a bit of ‘green.’ Enjoy!