Holding court at the heart of France's vinous universe, the aristocratic Bordeaux boasts a peerless pedigree. Some of its best value wines are crafted by the petits (small) châteaux. They offer serious, estate grown and bottled wines crafted by quality conscious individuals.

These producers work hard at upping the stakes, and many are delivering earlier drinking, riper styles that allow a user-friendly route into the complex world of Bordeaux wine appreciation.

Our fastidious approach to selecting these wines ensures that there is quality in every sip, with all the wines tasted and assessed before we import them in refrigerated containers, ensuring that your wine is in the best condition when it gets to you.

Ripe Cabernet Sauvignon tends to exude cassis fruit characters. You’ll generally feel the structure of Cabernet Sauvignon around the outside of your mouth. Merlot is all about the middle of your palate, the tannins and acidity softer. There are plum fruit notes and mocha characters.

Generally you’ll find the wines of Bordeaux are blends; for petits chateaux, they tend to be Merlot-dominant, regardless of where they come from. The Merlot gives the mid-palate and the Cabernet Sauvignon the structural frame.

Once you know your producers and their reputation (which, because it’s our job, we do) you can bag some gorgeous wines without killing your credit rating.