The 7 Best Bordeaux Red Wines Under $50
Most wine lovers and collectors have a good knowledge of the Classification of Bordeaux requested by Napoleon III in 1855 when sixty Bordeaux red wines were ranked and subdivided into five crus or growths, but few know there were four other subdivisions that included Cru Bourgeois de Médoc which represents amazing wines at more affordable prices. The Cru Bourgeois de Médoc has always maintained very stringent guidelines and the classification has been updated every five years since 2010. The organization continues to set high standards of quality that involve evaluation of the vineyard, harvest practices, vinification, cellar management, bottling, labeling, and storage procedures. Also, and perhaps most important, the last five vintages of Cru Bourgeois de Médoc wines were blind tasted by a panel of winemakers, Masters of Wine, sommeliers, negociants, and top French wine journalists.
The Jury is headed by Philippe Faure-Brac, one-time Best Sommelier in the World who is currently the president of the French Sommelier Association. The wines that made it through this stringent vetting process were presented at Wine Paris in February 2025 and we had an opportunity to taste through dozens of wines including Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnels, Cru Bourgeois Superieurs, and Cru Bourgeois. The price to quality ratio is exceptional with many of these wines coming in at less than $40 per bottle. Here are the seven best Cru Bourgeois Bordeaux we tasted.
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Château d’Arsac 2019 Margaux Bordeaux
Château d’Arsac is named for the first owner Guillaume Geraud d’Arsac who developed the estate in the early 12th century. It was then sold to Thomas de Montaigne and later to Ernest Dubosc who in 1880 upgraded it to the largest wine estate in the Medoc. At that time, it boasted over 600 acres, but it later fell into a state of disrepair and the land holdings were reduced to under eight acres. Today it has been lovingly restored, and the wines are considered excellent value in the wine market. The 2019 Margaux has aromas of crushed violet petals, black currant, and a touch of cedar that transform to flavors of black raspberry, black plum, with just a touch of tobacco in the finish.
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Château de Malleret 2020 Haut Medoc Bordeaux
Wines made at Château de Malleret are produced under the direction of famed wine consultant Stéphane Derenoncourt and they consistently represent excellent quality to price ratio. We’re big fans of Stéphane and we always find his wines to have perfect balance among acidity, mouthfeel, and elegance. Château de Malleret 2020 Haut Medoc is a blend of 60 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 37 percent Merlot, and 3 percent Petit Verdot. It has aromas of red plum, cassis, and a lifted whiff of iodine with rich flavors of black currant, black plum, violet petals, and tobacco leaf.
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Château Laffitte Carcasset 2018 St Estephe Bordeaux
Château Laffitte Carcasset is one of the oldest estates in Saint-Estephe, with the first written mention of the Carcasset vineyard going back to 1759. Jean Laffitte, a lawyer for the king, purchased the property in 1781 and the name was expanded to Laffitte Carcasset. Their wines are some of the best values from the Saint-Estephe appellation and the 2018 is drinking beautifully right now. It has aromas of crushed violet petals, cigar box, and wet river rock that lead to velvety tannins and flavors of black raspberry, red plum, and cassis.
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Château Lalaudey 2018 Cru Bourgeois Bordeaux
Château Lalaudey is located in the Moulis-en-Medoc region of Bordeaux known for vines grown on clay and limestone which impart a sense of minerality to the finished wines. It is a small swath of land between Margaux and Saint Julien and the wines from this region are held in high esteem by many wine lovers. Château Lalaudey 2018 Cru Bourgeois has aromas of black olive tapenade, black currant, and red plum with fine tannins and juicy flavors of cassis, plum, and finely ground black pepper.
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Barton & Guestier 2022 Château Magnol Cru Bourgeois Haut Medoc Bordeaux
Besides boasting 75 acres of excellent Haute Medoc appellation vines, the 18th-century château and surrounding property also host the headquarters of the well-known Barton & Guestier company. Their Château Magnol 2022 Cru Bourgeois is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc and although it’s a bit young right now it will improve with age in two to four years. It has very fruity aromas especially red currant and cassis that translate to full-bodied flavors of toasted oak, black raspberry, and black plum wrapped in pleasantly grippy tannins on the palate.
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Château La Cardonne 2018 Medoc Bordeaux
The ancient Château La Cardonne was acquired by Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite) in 1973 and the winemaking team quickly got to work restructuring the winery, improving drainage, and replanting vines. The Charloux family took over ownership in 1990 and continued the process of modernization. The family’s 2018 is ruby red colored in the glass with aromas of blueberry, cedar plank, and black raspberry. It has fine tannins and flavors of black currant, brown baking spices, and a touch of vanilla in the long finish.
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Château Paloumey 2020 Haut Medoc Bordeaux
Wine merchant Octave Dupuy established Château Paloumey in the early 1800s and planted vines in soils local vignerons considered to be quite good because of their proximity to Fifth Growth classified properties. Unfortunately, the château and vineyards were decimated by phylloxera and continued to languish during World War I and World War II. They were left abandoned in the middle of the 20th century but today the château is producing quality wines again and we were quite impressed with the 2020 vintage. It is garnet colored in the glass with aromas of black currant, finely ground black pepper, and red plum that led to a full-bodied wine with flavors of black raspberry, dark chocolate, and cinnamon luxuriously sheathed in velvety tannins.
Authors
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Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen
