2016 Château Loirac Médoc Cru Bourgeois Bordeaux 750 ml

When we pulled up to the restaurant L’Escarnouille in the rural stretches of the Médoc last summer after a long day of tasting, we knew we were about to step into France’s glorious culinary past. We could write songs about the crispy duck breast with chocolate brandy sauce, but what really floored us was an inexpensive 2016 red our server recommended from an estate five minutes down the road: Château Loirac. (We forget how many bottles we ordered.)

The Loirac was incredibly fresh, savory, medium-bodied, and had enough acidity to brighten our gluttonous feast. The wine’s gorgeous barrage of cranberry, cherry, cigar box, lavender and pepper flavors made us want to have it within easy reach for those all-day summer BBQs. It should have cost much more. After several sips we looked at each other and said, “We need to import this.” 

We were surprised to learn that Château Loirac had been abandoned after the Second World War and not reinvigorated until 1987. For the estate to have progressed so far in 30 years was astonishing given the quality of the wine we had enjoyed the night before. It had even been elevated to Cru Bourgeois status in 2014 because of its consistent quality but still checked in at under $20 per bottle. 

The backbone of the wine turned out to be Cabernet Sauvignon, which Loirac’s main vineyards of gravel- and sand-based ridges support beautifully. Merlot made up about 40% of the blend, giving it a degree of roundness and fleshiness we found irresistible.

The 2016 Château Loirac is also fortunate to come from an excellent Bordeaux vintage in which freshness and verve, rather than opulence, dominates the wines. Critic James Suckling raves about 2016, writing that “you can buy just about anything bottled in Bordeaux in the 2016 vintage from the simplest Bordeaux to the grandest of classified growths or trophy wines from the Right Bank and be assured you’re getting a top-quality wine.” Fans of classic Bordeaux at an unbeatable price should take note.

Perhaps the most charming part of our quick visit to Château Loirac was learning that the property was rejuvenated by a group of wine-loving friends, not a large corporation or storied wine family. Given its effortless deliciousness and sub-$20 price point, it’s the perfect wine to have on hand by the case when your wine-loving friends gather around the BBQ. Whether sliced crispy duck breast or a juicy burger is on the menu, it will not disappoint.