Why Bordeaux Is Winning Over Younger Wine Drinkers

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When we made our predictions for what we could expect from the wine world in 2026, here’s one we didn’t see coming: Restaurants in the United States are doing a booming business selling Bordeaux to their clients, especially younger ones. Kevin Flannery, the owner and sommelier at Vinile Chophouse in New York, first tipped us off the phenomenon when he casually mentioned that customers who normally bought bottles of Napa Cabernet Sauvignon in the $600 range were bypassing them in favor of more accessible wines from Bordeaux. Although in the moment it may have seemed strictly anecdotal, we have found it often signals that there is a real movement afoot.

Flannery and his wife Sofia, vice president of wine and spirits at Vinile and sister restaurant Vinyl Steakhouse, find the sweet spot for their clientele is in the $125 to $400 range on the wine list. “Right now, this is where Bordeaux offers some of the most compelling value—wines of exceptional quality at prices that still feel fair for what’s in the bottle,” he tells Robb Report. Offering a relaxed approach to the modern steakhouse, Vinyl and Vinile have a team of eight sommeliers who under Sofia’s direction are “constantly searching for Bordeaux that truly overdelivers, especially bottles under $200 that can genuinely surprise and impress even experienced drinkers.” That’s exemplified by Chateau Quintus 2015 Le Dragon De Quintus from St. Emilion, on the list at $159. “The wine was stunning, and I couldn’t believe my eyes when I realized we could price this wine for well under $200,” he says.

Emily Parrish, beverage manager at elegant Greek-inspired eatery Avra Madison in Manhattan, attributes her customer’s interest in Bordeaux to a “concerted effort on the part of the producers to make the wine more accessible.” She counted herself among the younger consumers that had overlooked Bordeaux until a trip there changed her perception of the region and its wines. And she’s finding that her young clients are gravitating to Bordeaux as well, without having to be guided toward wines from the region by a sommelier.

Among the bottles on Avra Madison’s list is Anseillan, a wine from the estate adjoining Château Lafite Rothschild, which is owned by DBR Lafite and is made by the same team. Describing Anseillan as “supple with softer edges than some of the other Pauillacs, which makes it more food friendly,” Parrish sells it for $225 and recommends pairing it with steak, lamb chops, or tuna. She finds a wine like this that’s “made by the big guys” is a great way for diners to “dip their toes in without diving into the deep end.” She explains that the pedigree of wines from domains owned by one of the great houses “bring some of these smaller properties to the forefront and makes them a viable option for folks looking for value.”

While the general consensus might be that wine lovers in any post-baby-boom generation would overlook Bordeaux in favor of trendier appellations, Parrish notes even among millennials Bordeaux often sells itself and clients rely on her expertise to home in on a specific bottle.  “There are people who have their heart set on a specific village and just need my assistance picking out the one that they will enjoy,” she tells Robb Report. Flannery says he’s noticed a pronounced mindset shift among his younger clients, whom he says have less of a “show-off” mentality driving their decisions: “They’re open to guidance, trusting the team to lead them toward the best value rather than simply the highest price. They understand that price doesn’t always equate to quality, and they’re far more interested in discovery than status.”

It helps that Bordeaux has been able to maintain fair pricing despite ongoing inflation. “That consistency in value is starting to earn it renewed respect on wine lists, especially among this younger audience,” Flannery says. In Washington, D.C., Winn Roberton, head sommelier at Bourbon Steak D.C., has also seen an uptick in Bordeaux sales “after a short period of decline.” “I think both younger consumers and buyers have recognized the fact that Bordeaux can still span all price points and keep quality across the board,” he tells Robb Report. He offers his clients Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Château Lassègue, whose “rich lush fruit coupled with the gritty tannin make it a great pairing for fattier cuts like Wagyu and ribeye.” Although Bourbon Steak D.C.’s regular clientele includes collectors who Roberton says “know the chateaus and vintages inside and out,” Bordeaux is also an easy sell to those who are less familiar with its wines.

Roberton finds it important to highlight better vintages as he moves down the price scale within Bordeaux and knows that being able to talk about the estate’s “neighborhood” within the region when discussing a particular bottle it is also a valuable tool. “Château Lassègue, for example, shares some of the same great soil as Château Pavie and Troplong Mondot, yet hits our wine list at a fraction of the cost,” he says. Interestingly, in a recent email exchange on another topic with Hortense Bernard, co-owner and director of marketing at Millesima, one of the world’s largest and most important retailers of wine from Bordeaux, she expressed concern about the ongoing relevance of its wine. She thinks although “Americans love Bordeaux wines,” it’s hard to introduce to consumers because “it is not trendy” so they don’t have an opportunity to try it when dining out. “How do you introduce younger consumers to Bordeaux if they are not in restaurants?” she wrote. In a twist that nobody saw coming, there are plenty of bottles of Bordeaux on American wine lists, and diners are finding them with no trouble at all

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