2015 Chateau de Malleret Haut-Medoc Bordeaux 750 ml

When globetrotting superstar winemaker Stéphane Derenoncourt joined Bordeaux house Château de Malleret in 2014, the marriage of talent and terroir had the potential to create something special. 

Potential fulfilled.

Malleret’s 2015 Haut-Médoc, a richly layered blend of mainly Merlot and Cabernet, earned Editors’ Choice honors from Wine Enthusiast—one of only a few Haut-Médoc wines to do so. Its 92 points are impressive for a wine this affordable, but we don’t think that even praise like that adequately conveys its excellence.  

Comprising 53% Merlot, 44% Cabernet Sauvignon, and small amounts of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, the 2015 Malleret instantly entices you with aromas of cedar box, dried flowers, leather, and truffle. After six years of aging, the wine’s grippiness on the palate is just beginning to relax: The tannins now have a chewiness and a softness that’s balanced by concentrated flavors of black fruits. Licorice, clove, and tobacco dance on the palate, all leading to a pleasant, lingering finish. 

We discovered Malleret a couple of years ago when it blew us away at a broker tasting of over 60 bottles—many of which were much more expensive. We were disappointed to find out that it wasn’t available for export, but we never forgot it. 

When we got the chance to grab a small amount of the 2015 Malleret, we immediately locked it down—and it was even better than we remembered it. The few extra years of age have transformed the wine from merely excellent to a captivating elixir just starting to show signs of a complexity that should blossom beautifully in the coming decade.