They Made a Fortune Selling Jam. Then They Bought a Château.

Larrivet Haut Brion Pessac Leognan Rouge 2016 Link to Purchase Wine: https://www.spectrumwine.com/retail/wines/2035195 What does the family behind Bonne Maman preserves have to do with one of the most compelling Bordeaux values we've tasted this year? Quite a bit, actually. When the Gervoson family acquired Château Larrivet Haut-Brion in 1987, the Pessac-Léognan estate needed serious attention. Decades of investment in its vineyards, winery and winemaking talent followed, with legendary Bordeaux consultant Michel Rolland and former Château Montrose winemaker Bruno Lemoine helping guide its transformation. By 2016, the property was hitting a remarkable stride, producing a wine that earned 94 points from both Decanter and James Suckling, along with 93 points from Jeb Dunnuck and 92 points from Wine Advocate. We tasted this very wine at Wine Paris and were immediately impressed, and now, a decade after the vintage, it's showing exactly why 2016 remains one of the great modern years for Bordeaux. The 2016 Château Larrivet Haut-Brion is a classic Pessac-Léognan blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc, aged for 16 months in French oak with 50% new barrels. At just 13% alcohol, it delivers the concentration and structure of an outstanding vintage without sacrificing elegance or freshness. Beautiful black cherry fruit, Graves minerality, developing tertiary complexity and exceptionally silky, melting tannins make this a Bordeaux that's beginning to drink beautifully right now, with plenty of life still ahead. And here's the best part: we're offering this ten-year-old, twice-94-point Bordeaux for just $39.98, compared with the next lowest advertised price we've found in America at $48. That's a remarkable opportunity to acquire a beautifully mature wine from a transformed estate in one of Bordeaux's most celebrated appellations. Quantities are limited, and this is exactly the sort of 2016 Bordeaux we'd recommend buying by the case.