While the 1855 Bordeaux fine wine classification is the pride of France, it does have some drawbacks. Namely, what was good over 150 years ago might not be now, and vice-versa. Chateau Les Grands Chenes is one such estate that would benefit from an eventual re-classification. Put simply, it produces wine that would easily be a fifth or even fourth growth today.

Much of Les Grands Chenes success is down to its owner, the fabulous Bernard Magrez (he also owns, among others, Chateau La Tour Carnet in Haut Medoc, Chateau Fombrauge in St Emilion and Clos Haut Peyraguey, an 1855 Grand Crus classé in Sauternes). Upon purchase of the estate in 1998, Magrez invested heavily in order to turn Les Grands Chenes into one of the top crus Bourgeois of the region. And he is well on the way to succeeding. This is largely due to his vision and drive but also the onboarding of Michel Rolland, the influential Bordeaux oenologist who has saved (or elevated) much of Bordeaux fine wines.

The wine is made in the typically Medoc style, and unsurprisingly the vineyard is planted to majoritively Merlot (70% Merlot, 29% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Cabernet Franc). Because of the high elevation of the far north terroir, the vines benefit from a little micro climate, allowing for later harvesting. Magrez favours sustainable methods in all his vineyards and Les Grands Chenes is no different. Visitors should expect grass covering each row, leaf thinning out every July and Bordeaux (hand) pruning prior to harvest. Maceration is in stainless steel, temperature controlled tanks, prior to being transferred to barrel for 16-month ageing.

Les Grands Chenes is one of Magrez’s most competitively priced wines, trading at less than €20 on average in Q3 2019. Bordeaux fine wine ROI, however, can be erratic and Les Grand Chenes has yet to plateau on the investors’ market; 2015s stellar vintage gained 30% between September 2017 and May 2019, while the following year lost €2 off its release price during the same period.