2018 Château Hyot Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux 750 ml

Château Hyot helps redefine what’s possible in Bordeaux value. A star from Castillon, a hidden gem of Bordeaux’s Right Bank, this stunning 2018 benefitted from one of the best vintages of the decade, earning rare acclaim for a $15 wine from multiple publications—and our admiration for packing so much quality into the bottle. 

Rich, silky, and boldly-fruited, it’s easy to mistake this 2018 for a top-shelf wine from St.-Émilion, Castillon’s neighbor—but there’s no mistaking the friendliness of the price.

Château Hyot is a value star of the Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux—one of the most under-the-radar regions in France. Gravelly-clay soils cut through with the same limestone that defines St.-Émilion allows the Merlot and Cabernet Franc to ripen to luscious richness, while retaining the zip that makes another glass inevitable.

We first fell in love with the 2016 vintage of this wine at Le Chien de Pavlov, a fantastic little bistro in Bordeaux. Sitting on mismatched chairs amid the reclaimed wood and modern minimalism, it would be easy to believe we were in Brooklyn—except that the côte de boeuf we split with our friend Anthony was made with local French beef.  

It had been a long day of tasting, and we asked him to pick out something simple and tasty to sip while we relaxed and caught up. Anthony—the walking definition of a plugged-in local—smiled and ordered the Hyot, knowing full well that we’d be incapable of paying attention to anything but this gem... and that it was sold out at the winery.

He was right on both counts, but promised to let us know when they released another wine this good—so you can imagine our excitement when a sample of the 2018 showed up at our door. The second encounter was just as profound, cementing this wine as one we had to have not just for our own personal cellars, but to share with Wine Access members. We immediately contacted the winery and requested an allocation. 

The 2018 has the hallmarks of a top-flight Right Bank wine, headlined by big aromas of dark plums, bittersweet Indonesian chocolate, rosemary, and baking spices. The palate takes your breath away as the flavors of blackberry jam, baked plum, cigar box, and hints of allspice all coat the palate and linger on a long, velvety finish. The deliciousness of this bottle can’t be denied.

While they enjoy the benefits of geography, what sets Hyot apart is their committed approach to winemaking, including long macerations and extended aging in barrel—up to 20 months—techniques that create plenty of stuffing and silky tannins in the wine. Most other wineries at this price don't want to tie up their wine for so long before release, but most wineries aren’t Château Hyot.

2018 will go down as one of the greatest vintages ever for Bordeaux. A hot, dry end to the growing season made for bold, powerful wines—yielding incredible grapes and allowing less-heralded châteaux to enjoy ripening benefits usually reserved for the great growths. The Wine Advocate loves the year for early drinking, praising the wines for “rich, already flamboyant fruit and beautifully plush tannins” which “ mean they are approachable at a relatively early stage.”

All that adds up to a bottle that’s destined to be a member-favorite. We’re bringing this in directly from the Château—but can’t promise there will be enough to go around. If you want to be drinking this beauty regularly over the next five years, like we will be, the only thing to do is stock up.