2016 Chateau Haut Beyzac Le Classic Haut-Medoc 750 ml

There is a well-known phenomenon among wine-loving travelers. You vacation somewhere, say the South of France, and fall in love with a wine—a succulent, juicy red, consumed day after day on stony, sun-soaked beaches. You bring a case home, and suddenly find it completely dull, a pale imitation. 

But some bottles are capable of transporting the magic of a place, and the 2016 Château Haut Beyzac Le Classic manages to pull off that feat in amazing fashion. We discovered this bottle in a Parisian boîte, and it embodies exactly the kind of perfectly drinking, charming Cru Bourgeois rouge that’s always abundant in Parisian bistros, and seemingly in short supply everywhere else. 

This is a totally classic Claret with firm balance and grippy, grainy tannins, and a focused core of black cherry and cranberry flecked with sandalwood, tobacco, and exotic spice. Sinewy, yet not heavy—made for the dinner table. An under-the-radar gem, it managed to draw the attention of James Suckling, who awarded 92 points, falling for its “very attractive and vibrant palate.” We’d like to pour this practically every night with whatever’s coming off the grill, and at just $20.00. A rock-solid value for a hidden Haut-Médoc treasure.

On our last trip to France, the travel plans between Burgundy and Champagne resulted in a layover in Paris. Arriving late to our hotel in the Latin Quarter, we convinced the restaurant across the street to stay open just long enough for us to grab a bite.

The place was called Louis Vins and with a glance at the menu, our mouth was watering for one dish in particular: the canard de sud-ouest rôti. Too famished to bother with the thick binder of bottles on offer, we asked the waiter for whichever wine he’d recommend to pair with it. He returned with this deep-ruby charmer, showing verve and an energetic attack, and truly coming to vibrant life when sipped alongside the plate of roast duck.

Château Haut Beyzac, located just southwest of Saint-Estèphe, “merits serious consideration,” according to Robert Parker. The estate is owned by the Raguenot Lallez Miller family, who bought the vineyards in 1997 and embarked on a careful course of studying the soil and replanting vines. Thanks to their careful attention, the Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petit Verdot cultivated here are wonderfully expressive of the excellent clay and limestone soils.

Firm and elegant, this release shows the classicism of the 2016 vintage, lauded as “the second coming of Bordeaux,” yet without a trace of rigidity.