K&L Bordeaux Buying Guide: New Adds, Allocations, and Arrivals

From top-performing sub-$50 values to cellar-worthy icons from benchmark vintages, this Bordeaux roundup showcases the full depth and diversity of the region. You'll find Left Bank stars from 2016 and 2019, rare mature releases, a compelling new discovery in Bordeaux Blanc, and a powerful case for the greatness of 2022. We've also released our 2024 Bordeaux Vintage Report, highlighting the most recent growing season's challenges and charms. There’s never been a better time to rediscover Bordeaux’s dynamic landscape—both on the page and in your glass.

• A Bevy of Sub-$50 Gems
• 2016 and 2019 Left Bank Collectibles
• A New Discovery in Bordeaux Blanc
• Greatness in the 2022 Vintage
• A Deep Selection of Perfectly Aged BDX
• 2024 Vintage Report

Two of our all-time best values have returned: the 2009 Coufran and 2012 Barde-Haut—joyful back-vintage renditions offered for a song. This collection also highlights some of the biggest names in Bordeaux through their other bottlings: Léoville-Barton (Réserve), Smith Haut Lafitte (Le Thil), Pichon-Lalande (de Pez), and Montrose (La Dame). Don’t miss the duo from the Kwok family—a 96-point Haut-Brisson and a 95-point Bellefont-Belcier—both offered at incredible prices for wines of such acclaim.

The quality of the Left Bank wines from 2016 and 2019 is undeniable—these vintages will stand as high watermarks for many of their respective estates. Leading our offerings is the 2016 vintage, highlighted by a winery-direct Wine of the Year: Léoville-Barton. Haut-Bailly’s 2016 was recently awarded a perfect 100-point score, while 2016 Montrose seems poised to earn another any day now. From 2019, Phélan Ségur is my secret weapon—an overachiever in every sense. Add to that a pair of Léovilles that could become modern-era benchmarks, plus a new release of Les Forts, and you have a Cabernet lover’s dream.

I adore Bordeaux Blanc and was curious when Couhins, an estate that wasn’t quite on our radar, started notching vintage-best acclaim for such a modest price. What I found was a Sauvignon-Blanc heavy blend that delivers the brightness, breadth, and boundless flavor that has me enamored with the best of the category. These gems just landed, and whether it’s the fresh and complex 2020 or the promising and dynamic 2022, they certainly deserve all of the recent praise.

I’ll be honest—I was initially a skeptic of the 2022 vintage. Such a warm year seemed to invite extremes, but I was encouraged by the freshness and balance I found during En Primeur. Tasting the wines earlier this year in bottle was a joy—not only were they accessible, but they also showed more typicité and regional character than was initially apparent. As I continue to taste and speak with winemakers, it’s clear there’s something special about these wines. They reflect the character of the vintage while showcasing the technical precision of modern Bordeaux. These are generous wines with a strong sense of place, rich in detail and complexity. For Bordeaux brilliance—whether for the near or long term—make sure to go long on the ’22s.

Drinking beautifully mature Bordeaux from the world’s greatest estates and vintages is nothing short of a transcendent experience—and you'll find no shortage of these treasures at K&L. Leading the way is a true vinous legend: the 2001 Yquem, a wine widely regarded for its next-level quality and firmly placed on any collector’s bucket list. Alongside it, we’re offering stunning examples from 2000, 2003, and 2005—benchmark vintages that deliver the elegance, depth, and complexity only perfectly aged Bordeaux can offer.

While the 2024 Bordeaux vintage had its challenges, we traveled to taste the wines—as we do every year—and are excited to share our annual vintage report. The ’24s reflect both the difficulties of the growing season and the complexities of today’s market. Overall, it’s a vintage that rewards close attention, and we’ve tasted through hundreds of wines to identify those with the greatest potential. Read the full vintage report here.