2015 Chateau Grange-Neuve La Fleur des Ormes Pomerol 750 ml

In the wine world, generally pricing has to do with those traditional economic factors, quality and scarcity. But every once in a while, there’s a blip in that formula, an instance where a wine somehow flies under the radar and its quality is way out of sync with its price. 

We are constantly on the hunt for these mismatches because when we find a true bargain, you win. Today’s gorgeous Pomerol from Château Grange-Neuve delivers all the ripe fruit, fine-grained soil signature, and the charm that makes Pomerol one of the most exclusive addresses in the world of wine… for under $30. 

That’s why, when we were in Bordeaux recently, we made a point to taste a bottle that wasn’t getting any love. Meeting over dinner with a supplier, we tasted through a number of Grand Cru wines. But we couldn’t help but notice one bottle that wasn’t open. 

Our supplier explained, “You wouldn’t be interested in that. It’s so small even the Bordelais haven’t heard of it.” But the label had the word “Pomerol” on it, so we insisted. Made in the same way as its more famous neighbors (e.g., Pétrus, Le Pin), Château Grange-Neuve out-performed superstars that were on the table at ten times the price. These are the moments that make the wine business exciting, finding those hidden gems and market mismatches—winning.

What makes Pomerol so special? When you look at the map of Bordeaux, Pomerol could be missed entirely. Out of 480 square miles under vine (Bordeaux is really, staggeringly big), Pomerol comprises just three. For comparison, St-Émilion next door is seven times that size; Napa, 23. Those three square miles that fan out on either side of the N89 are nearly flat.The area has gravelly soils like much of the rest of Bordeaux. But unlike the rest of Bordeaux, the Pomerol plateau wears a unique cap of clay.

This clay is what allows Pomerol producers like Pétrus and Trotanoy and Le Pin—and, yes, Château Grange-Neuve—to make the world’s greatest Merlot. Just as Cabernet loves gravel, Syrah granite, and Pinot Noir limestone, Merlot simply adores clay soils. Compared to the Médoc, Pomerol’s damper soil and higher altitude serve to keep the ground temperature cooler, which slows the ripening process. As a result, Grange-Neuve is a rich, deep wine with an alluring minerality threading through the ripe fruit. Above all, charm is the stamp of Pomerol, and charm is what Grange-Neuve delivers in spades.

Maybe it’s because of its tiny size (just over 18 acres) that Château Grange-Neuve has escaped notice. But the tiny estate has adopted First Growth vineyard practices including hand-harvesting their 35-year-old vines. In the cellar, the wine is made to exacting standards, and aged for 12 to 18 months in small oak barrels. There are just a handful of cases of this cuvée to be had per year, and we have the only bottles in the nation.

Pomerol at $30 simply doesn’t happen—not in the last decade, anyway. That’s just how the free market handles quality meeting scarcity. We’re still pinching ourselves over finding this hidden gem and know you’ll love it as much as we do.