Médoc crus classés second wines from the 2009 & 2010 vintages

These two vintages offer great quality yet contrasting personalities, making them a great-value window onto the wines of Bordeaux’s top producers, says Jane Anson

77 wines tasted

Enjoy the wines of the more opulent 2009 vintage while your 2010s continue maturing

Bordeaux has been mastering the art of second wines for centuries, largely because the châteaux tasted here – sizeable, well-monied Médoc estates singled out in the 1855 classification – led the charge.

In the archives you can find examples of châteaux making a ‘second selection’ of their grapes as far back as the 17th century. a second wave came along at the turn of the 20th century. Les Forts de Latour, for example, first appeared in 1906 (under a different name) until various wars and economic crises meant it was tough enough to sell the main wine, let alone a second label.

Things rebounded in the 1980s, but it has really only been over the past 20 years that Bordeaux second wines have taken their modern form; named almost invariably to promote the family resemblance and marketed as an entry point, like the diffusion line of fashion houses.

early enjoyment

Invariably, these wines are meant to offer an earlier drinking window – so within three to 10 years of bottling rather than 10 to 20-plus. Practically, that means they may be from younger vines, or contain more of the softer Merlot grape, or aged in less new oak, or made from grapes grown in lighter, sandier soils, or a number of other choices in the cellar or vineyard.

Part of the growth in second wines has come from the expansion of available grapes, as cash-rich Médoc classed growths have bought neghbouring vineyards or replanted parts of their own that had been left fallow in the difficult years. Château Cantemerle has gone from 20ha in 1981 to 94ha now. Château Clerc Milon has gone from 15ha in the 1950s to 41ha today – the 2009 first release of its Pastourelle de Clerc Milon was tasted here.

some châteaux put less emphasis on their second wines than others. Château Pontet-Canet for example makes very little, perhaps no more than 10% of its main estate bottling. But most acknowledge the value of second wines for both quality and brand awareness.

In theory, these two vintages should reveal all that is great about second wines. Two superb years, so at this level of winemaking skill and available resources you should have no quality worries. The character of each year was quite different, with 2009 being a fleshier, sexier and more upfront vintage, and 2010 equally turbo-charged but with higher acidities and tannins, so making wines that were all about playing the long game.

Not only that, but both 2009 and 2010 were vintages where prices for the main wines often doubled, even tripled from the prices of 2008, meaning that second wines should be the place to turn for value for money.