2010 Chateau Bolaire Bordeaux Superieur 750 ml

2010 Bordeaux That Won’t Break the Bank

By now, the greatness of Bordeaux’s 2010 vintage has been well documented. Robert Parker, Stephen Tanzer, James Suckling, Jancis Robinson, and Wine Spectator all came out with guns blazing, ranking 2010 as one of the greatest vintages since 1961. Parker dropped a DOZEN 100-point scores. Spectator rolled out a 99-point vintage rating.

But for most of us — Chinese millionaires and billionaires excluded — Parker’s 100-point bottles remain just slightly out of reach. The 100-pointer from Cheval Blanc in 2010 goes for $1,800. Château Latour’s 100-pointer commands $2,000 on the market. And for the paltry sum of $4,000/bottle, you can stock your cellars with the 100-point Château Petrus from Bordeaux’s legendary 2010 vintage! Even now, as the 2015s trickle into the market, the 2010s are still maintaining their sky-high valuations.

Fortunately for many college funds, quality was monumental across the board in 2010. In the Médoc, a stone’s throw from Château Cantemerle, the 50-year-old vines at Château Bolaire turned out a bargain-hunter’s dream that caused even Robert Parker to do a double take. The guy the Bordelaise call “The King” hailed the 2010 Bolaire as “surprisingly dark-fruited, with more minerality than Bordeaux Supérieur tends to possess.” Wine Spectator added fuel to the fire, calling the 2010 “plush” and “integrated.” But we suspect most of you will have a reaction more in line with that from longtime Wine Spectator bureau chief James Suckling. He could barely get to the 2010 Bolaire’s “full body,” “rich palate,” and “racy and refined” character, tripping over words like “Wow” and “amazing” in his 92-point review.

On the banks of the Gironde, near the town of Macau, Bolaire sits on 17 acres of clay soils, almost 40% of which are planted to Petit Verdot. The estate, established in 1860, is now in the careful hands of the Mulliez family, proprietors of Château Belle-Vue and Gironville. Vincent Mulliez, a native of Bordeaux, purchased the estate in 2004 but passed away suddenly and far too young in 2010, before he could witness the château’s finest vintage to date.

The 2010 Château Bolaire Bordeaux Supérieur offers a rare assemblage of 40% Petit Verdot, 35% Merlot, and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon. It is a stunning ruby-red in color. The high percentage of Petit Verdot, a staple at Bolaire, lends an expressive nose of black pepper, blueberry, and roasted plum. Rich and ripe on the palate, loaded with blackberry and blackcurrant, buttressed by smooth, silky tannins. Notes of chocolate and caramel linger on the long finish.

Parker called this an “outstanding sleeper” from an all-time great vintage, “consistently one of the top wines at this price point.” No need to crack open the piggy bank; just $24.99 today on WineAccess. Bargain-hunters, look no further.