2016 Chateau de Pressac Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 750 ml

There exists in Bordeaux a small set of wines that sit just outside the limelight captured by the famous First Growths, but offer everything you could possibly want in a red wine at an unbelievable price.

The 2016 Château de Pressac is one such brilliant Bordeaux. An under-the-radar picture of Right Bank opulence, Vinous’ Antonio Galloni has called the Grand Cru Classé Château Pressac “one of Bordeaux’s most unique and intriguing wines,” and he named the 2016 “one of the sleepers of Saint-Émilion.”  

James Suckling celebrated this “very impressive” Right Bank expression with 95 points, a rating that puts it alongside the $329 Pavillon Rouge du Margaux and $247 Chapelle d’Ausone!

Masterminded by Jean-François Quenin—among the most respected château owners in the region—the supple Merlot-led 2016 has exceeded everyone’s expectations. That’s made this harmoniously beautiful red, with its velvety tannins and haunting aromas of cedar and warmed plums, an extremely hot commodity among in-the-know bargain hunters.

Quenin’s remarkable commitment to terroir-transparency is the reason that critics like Galloni have referred to Pressac as one of the must-watch wines from among the thousands produced in this region.

Vineyards were cultivated at Château de Pressac as early as 1775. In 1997, Jean-François took over with his wife Dominique. They tore out the old, dilapidated vines and began replanting. Their back-breaking dedication to raising grapes of the highest quality—which involves working the soil with horses and hand-picking the rows—earned the estate Grand Cru Classé status in 2012.

Another reason why de Pressac stands out in every Bordeaux tasting is Jean-François’s focus on growing Malbec and Carménère grapes that possess the same taut balance and expressivity as varieties like Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. While the Malbec and Carménère still make up an overall smaller proportion of the blend, they give this wine a deep, earthy base and exquisite fruit notes that make it truly one of a kind.