2005 and 2009 Bordeaux Excluisves for Under $20

2009 K&L Discovery Series Bordeaux, St-Emilion (Elsewhere $40) ($14.99)

Ryan Moses | K&L Bordeaux Buyer

Speaking of high bars, we just set the standard for remarkable value in the Discovery Series, with a delicious St-Emilion with over fifteen years of bottle age for under $15. As Clyde likes to say, only a dollar a year, which is an incredibly high standard at any stage in the game. I adored this opportunity when we first tasted it, and through tough negotiations, and even after a round of tariffs, I'm still shocked that we're able to offer a wine this solid, with this kind of age, all for this price.

It is a generous expression of St-Emilion, but the broad, delicious quality of the vintage also shines through. Approaching maturity with a long life ahead, it carries beautiful aromatics of red fruits, leather, and florals, with a palate that has a core of plum and cassis, wild berry, and a soft, easy going finish. Everything is in place, and I'm certain there's not a better buy in today's market for a perfectly aged Bordeaux from a signature vintage.

Keith Mabry | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: August 27, 2025

Prime evolution on this wine showing pretty notes of mulled blackberries, cherry compote and milk chocolate. A touch of fresh tilled earth and a hint of truffle are forming in the back lending savory notes to round out the wine. This is showing great balance and is one of the best buys in the category for drink now status. You cannot beat this price for the level of character this wine offers.

Philip Roufail | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: August 24, 2025

K&L's Discovery series continues with two offerings from Bordeaux's St-Emilion, a Right Bank area known for its lush, rich full-bodied Merlot based blends. The 2009 is 90% Merlot, with 5% dollops of Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon to add depth and structure. 2009 was a "legendary" vintage in Bordeaux, producing consistently excellent wines throughout the region. "Big, bold, and lavish," the 2009s are just now hitting their prime drinking window. The 2009 Discovery Series St-Emilion has all the hallmarks of the vintage, and its ripe sweet fruit, spice, and tertiary notes have reached a delectable old school equilibrium - black licorice, dark plums, mocha, chocolate, earth, dark berries, and crushed rocks. If you want to discover St-Emilion wines, 2009 is a great place to start.

Scott Beckerley | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: August 20, 2025

This new Discovery Series of Bordeaux (with Italian wines on the way, as well!) is a real treat for affordability and a look at terroir. In the case of this 2009, it's all about old school scents and flavors. There is a nose of deep and dark black cherries, with anise seed, earth, tobacco and a light touch of spearmint. In the mouth, quite rich and easy to drink with baked cherries, creamy oak, some tart tannins at the back of the throat. The finish lingers at the tip of the tongue with dried cranberry flavors. Quite a bit of wine for the price!

Aaron Hughes | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: August 19, 2025

Yet another wine whose pricing I find to be wicked bonkers—but hey, I’m just a salesperson and wine-review writer, and it’s good to know your role. This wine costs you, valued reader, less than a dollar for each year it has existed in this world. That’s insane. Maybe it would make sense if this weren’t impeccably aged and genuinely delicious Bordeaux. This and its older brother, the 2005, are both wonderful examples of what I like about Bordeaux, and they’re different enough that you can feel the vintages and what aging does as well.

This has a really charming nose, especially after a few hours to develop. There’s a little creaminess to the fruit—more red than black—with lots of cherry and even some sweet cranberry. You’ll also find savory notes: dried and fresh tobacco, worn leather, a touch of oil-cured olive, and a dense, loamy undertone holding hands with the barrel spice. The palate is just a little chewy, thanks to firm but well-integrated tannins and that leathery tobacco on the back palate. The fruit is very ripe but not stewed, with a hint of dried character mixed in. There’s a slight phenolic twist on the finish—a gentle bitterness that will help this pair with whatever you choose to eat. This is such a wild nexus of great deal and great wine that I’m not sure I can convey strongly enough how much you need to try it—but please know I care about you and want you to be happy, and that’s why I want you to try this wine.

2005 K&L Discovery Series Bordeaux, St-Emilion (Elsewhere $40) ($19.99)

Ryan Moses | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: August 27, 2025

2005 Bordeaux is becoming more elusive by the day now that it has reached its twentieth anniversary. For just a dollar per year of its age, you can experience a brilliant example of this legendary vintage—available exclusively through K&L’s Discovery Series. The boldness of the vintage is immediately apparent, yet this bottling also shows a softer, mature edge that will delight classic claret fans and those seeking a more aromatic and earthy expression. At the same time, the abundant fruit of 2005 shines through at center stage. There’s excellent structure here too, making food pairings an exciting part of the experience.

This wine was crafted not only to offer superb value and an exemplary expression of Saint-Émilion, but also to spotlight the extraordinary growing season itself. And what a season it was—2005 is already recognized as one of Bordeaux’s all-time greats. Now that we finally have this bottling in hand, I couldn’t be more thrilled with how it has turned out. It’s wines like this—exclusive, beautifully made, and remarkably priced—that embody the spirit of our Discovery Series.

Philip Roufail | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: August 24, 2025

2005 was "undoubtably Bordeaux's year," and the wines from St-Emilion shined especially bright. For fans of the Right Bank's Merlot based blends, 2005 is THE year. Like it's 2009 counterpart, the K&L Discovery Series St-Emilion is a blend of 90% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. At 20 years old, the '05 is a mature wine, a classic old school Bordeaux showing the depth, precision, and character of the vintage and St-Emilion. This was so easy to drink I forgot how old it was! Powerful, structured, and savory, the 2005 hits all the marks.

Scott Beckerley | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: August 20, 2025

Like the 2009 version of this wine, the 2005 is definitely "old school" style. The nose is dominated by earth, exotic spices, black licorice, and tanned leather. On the palate, dry and tangy with sauteed mushrooms, tart cranberry and cherry fruit, mild spice at the tip of the tongue. The finish is long with very dry tannins. Quite the example of a 20-year-old Bordeaux with a very small price.

Aaron Hughes | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: August 19, 2025

What?—that’s what I thought when Ryan Moses, our Bordeaux Buyer Par Excellence, told me the price of this wine and its 2009 younger brother. Just absolutely bonkers pricing, but it’s not like we can force them to charge us more. I remember a few years ago our own Gary Westby told me that if you can get Bordeaux for a dollar a year, you’ve found one of the best deals in the business—and here we are, just offering it to you like it’s a casual Tuesday afternoon. This has all the depth and maturation you’ve come to expect from a well-aged, well-provenanced Bordeaux.

The fruit is still there, though it’s definitely a little bit behind the tertiary aromas that have lovingly and tenderly developed over these last 20 years. There are some stewed black and red fruits, a bit of a compote of the two presenting together as a whole. There’s also loamy mushrooms, a little bit of forest floor, and creamy black olive that fades into barrel spice. The palate is fresher than the nose, with a great level of acidity and a surprising amount of tannin for how old the wine is. This feels like it could keep going and lay down for another 10–20 years, developing more tertiary aromas at the cost of fruit. This is just phenomenal wine at this price—something you really cannot afford to pass by if you drink Bordeaux, or even if you’ve ever thought about drinking Bordeaux. This is everything you want from a well-aged bottle of wine and the same price I paid for lunch the other day.