2015 Chateau le Monteil D’Arsac Haut-Medoc Cru Bourgeois

2015 is the Tom Hanks of Bordeaux vintages: universally beloved, warmly well-rounded, and “super-charming,” in the words of Jancis Robinson.

Setting a record at Wine Enthusiast for the number of 100-point reviews a single vintage produced, it’s a buy-on-sight year, and the 2015 Chateau Le Monteil d’Arsac is in the running for one of the finest Bordeaux values we’ve ever scored.

Château d’Arsac is among the oldest estates in the Médoc, with a history dating back 900 years and holdings that long predate the boundaries of modern wine regions. That’s why half of its vineyards lie in Margaux, where wines are released under the Château d’Arsac name, and half lie in the Haut-Médoc, released as Château Le Monteil d’Arsac. Both wines are treated with the same immaculate care, and in 2015, both were under the supervision and electric talent of super-consultant Eric Boissenot, who also tends to all five of Bordeaux’s First Growth estates.

The vines for the Château Le Monteil d’Arsac are planted in the gravelly soils of the Monteil hillside at the highest part of the estate. On this historic property, the vintage’s abundant dry heat, combined with a thorough dousing of rain in September, resulted in tiny, thick-skinned berries that yielded opulent, big-hearted reds.

A mellifluous blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot aged in oak barrels (one-third new), this is the rare Bordeaux that requires neither patience nor big bucks, yet offers massive rewards in the glass.

• Fruit Intensity
• Oak Intensity
• Body
• Acidity
• Tannin

• ABV 13.00%
• 30 mins
• Now – 2028
• 52% Merlot48% Cabernet Sauvignon
• Serving temperature – 58°
• Cork