2018 Chateau Puyanché Francs Côtes de Bordeaux 750 ml

There’s a reason some of Bordeaux’s biggest names have bought up land in Francs Côtes de Bordeaux: The tiny sub-appellation is a paradise for opulent reds that represent some of the best values in France.

Château Puyanché is one of the area’s savviest finds, coming from an overachieving estate whose wines are usually snapped up before they can even think of exporting them to the US. 

Fortunately, we were able to taste with the estate’s owners, and the first pour greeted us with a Right Bank plushness we’ve scarcely seen in bottles at this price. From the 2018 vintage that Jancis Robinson MW called “extraordinary,” every subsequent taste revealed a complexity that belongs in the cellar of every Wine Access Bordeaux lover.

Everything about this wine—from the nuanced aromas to the earth-and-spice depth to the tannic grip—hints at a much higher price tag. The 2018 Puyanché shows a richness and depth of flavor that would command multiples of today’s price if it came from neighboring St.-Émilion. 

Francs’ clay-limestone soils, which imbue this wine with its ripe fruit and concentration, are similar to those that produce triple-digit-priced bottles from its world-renowned neighbor. Add in some of the highest elevations in the region and you’ve got a terroir perfect for the silky Merlot and powerful Cabernet Sauvignon that drive this wine—the kind of terroir that has compelled Bordeaux titans like the Thienponts (of Vieux Château Certan) and Hubert de Boüard (Château Angélus) to make significant investments in the area.

Called a “tiny jewel” by Wine Enthusiast, Francs sits on the fringe of Bordeaux’s intense spotlight, so centuries of attention from collectors and auction houses haven’t driven up prices. Yet that spotlight is steadily expanding, as winemakers and collectors look beyond the most famous appellations for stellar values like this. And if heavy-hitter estates keep attaching their names to the region, the incredible prices could very well become a part of the past. 

The Arbos, the family behind Puyanché, have known about Francs’ potential since before the big names moved in. They’ve occupied their land for five generations—land where a great deal of sunshine awakens ripe black-fruit aromas and flavors in this 2018, accented by notes of spice, cigar box, and earth. Land that also sees some of the lowest rainfall in the area, stressing the vines and producing a rich concentration in the 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet that comprise this wine. 

This is your invitation into a top-value Bordeaux secret, one that packs dollar-for-dollar quality like we rarely see.