Second Growth

Château Durfort-Vivens

Margaux Second Grand Cru Red Bordeaux Blend 2005

Decanted for 3 hours. Opened beautiful with deep cherry & leather flavors. This is an underrated Bordeaux in my opinion. — a month ago

Letha Phillips
with Letha
Rick, Tom and 6 others liked this

Château Pichon-Longueville Baron

Les Tourelles de Longueville Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2014

This is the second wine in my vertical tasting. It has bigger fruit than the 2010 and more tannin. My friends like this one best. It is still a young wine and would improve with age. It has plenty of rush vibrant fruit so it should age very well. — 25 days ago

Jeron SennJessica
with Jeron and Jessica

Château Ducru-Beaucaillou

Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 2000

Pours a deep cherry with a tawny rim. Nose of an old cedar chest of drawers, blueberry, blackcurrant and earth - very polished. Those notes from the nose translate onto the medium + bodied palate - reflecting the excellent vintage. It’s easy to get swept up with Grand Cru Burgundy but don’t forget about aged classed growth Bordeaux of quality like this - just superb. Went well with Roast Beef for Sunday Lunch. — 3 months ago

Tom, Austin and 26 others liked this

Château Pontet-Canet

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2010

2010 vintage. Decanted and tasted after 30 minutes and 1.5 hours. Light-medium/medium body. Silky, supple and supremely beautiful-for Bordeaux. Beautiful closure on a lengthy finish. So much attention to detail without it being overtly obvious. Exceptional beauty and a fave, cutting edge BDX producer-along with Durfort-Vivens in Margaux to taste the possibilities of the region. For Pauillac, nearly as gorgeous as Pichon-Lalande...a very close second. This was so stunning. 12.5.25. — 7 days ago

Andrew, Paul and 21 others liked this
Paul K

Paul K

👍

Château Pichon-Longueville Baron

Baron de Pichon-Longueville Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1998

Ron R
9.5

This producer is in a class of its own.
No signs of maturity. Pure notes of saddle leather and oak on the nose. A pure expression of Bdx with balance and power. Mid palate displays mature cherries and a hint of olives. Grainy tannins play second fiddle to prominent acidity.
My mental shortcut here is; GET SOME!
Thanks Rick.
— 3 months ago

Andrew MooreRick K
with Andrew and Rick
Juan, Ted and 32 others liked this
"Odedi"

"Odedi" Influencer Badge

Very nice

Tenuta San Guido

Guidalberto Toscana Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2022

Silky smooth and very balanced but missing a bit of ompf and flavor. Maybe too young? Seems to be the point of a second wine though... — 3 months ago

Dave, Austin and 19 others liked this

Château Beychevelle

Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 2018

It is time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday. Let's bring Merlot back!

Nice color of dark ruby with a reddish rim.

Fruity nose of black currants, plums, cooked cherries, oak, licorice, chocolates, tobacco, herbs, spices, earth and black tea.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with black currants, black plums, blackberries, coffee, herbs, chocolates, light oak, licorice, spices, light earth, tobacco leaf and black pepper.

Long finish with round tannins and tangy cherries.

This is a delicious Merlot based blend from Saint Julien. Elegant and spicy. Fruit forward and chocolatey.

I've had a few vintages of this wine and it is very consistent and always delicious, especially with age.

This 7 year old 4th growth Bordeaux is starting to drink beautifully now, and will continue to age nicely in the next 10 to 15 years.

Well balanced, complex and interesting. Rich and inviting.

Good by itself as a sipping wine or with food.

A blend of 50% Merlot, 41% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc. Aged in (60% new) French Oak barrels for 18 months.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$150.
— 4 months ago

Dave, Doug and 16 others liked this

Château Lafite Rothschild

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1982

I purchased this wine for $60 as a Bordeaux future offering from MacArthur’s in DC, with the hope of opening it when my younger son—born in 1982—was old enough to share it. We finally did just that this Thanksgiving, celebrating both him and the bottle.
The fill was mid-shoulder, but the family was together and it felt like the right moment. I gave it about an hour in the decanter before dinner. Early on it showed blackberries, a touch of veg, lead pencil, cedar notes and a smooth elegant finish. As the evening went on it opened a bit more, gaining some depth.
A few hours later I revisited the small amount I’d saved and found it had dried out some—but that was expected for a 43-year-old First Growth. Ultimately, it was a wonderful experience and a memorable way to share both the wine and the moment with family.
— 14 days ago

Jay and Joel liked this
Jay Kline

Jay Kline Influencer Badge Premium Badge

Fantastic and great story. Thanks for sharing!

Château Giscours

La Sirène de Giscours Margaux Red Bordeaux Blend 2015

La Sirène de Giscours – Margaux 2015
Margaux, Bordeaux, France 🇫🇷

Overview
Second label of the prestigious 3rd Growth Château Giscours, this cuvée shows how even secondary bottlings from classified estates can age with grace. The 2015 blend is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Franc, delivering structure, elegance, and finesse in perfect harmony.

Aromas & Flavors
Vivid layers of ripe blackcurrant, raspberry, and plum glide alongside subtle cedar, tobacco, and floral spice. Delicate hints of earth and minerality frame the fruit beautifully.

Mouthfeel
Medium-bodied with polished tannins, silky texture, and a seamless balance between freshness and maturity. The finish is long, refined, and quietly powerful.

Food Pairing
Versatile with roast lamb, duck breast, or aged Comté. It also complements charcuterie or hard cheeses in a more casual setting.

Verdict
An elegant Margaux that proves second labels are no afterthought. Still very much alive, refined, and balanced—an absolute pleasure to drink.

🍷 Personal Pick Highlight
This wine reinforces my belief that second labels can often surprise and delight. The finesse and silkiness here rival many first labels—proof that patience rewards and that Margaux elegance never fails.
— 3 months ago

Andrew and Ted liked this

Screaming Eagle

Second Flight Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2014

2 hour decant(little fine sediment). A striking dark purplish magenta color. On the nose: very aeromatic notes with perfumed dark berries, forest floor, spearment, smoked meat, truffles. Taste: silky, layered, plush wine with dark plum/cherry, milk chocolate, smokey cedar, earth, and a peppery graphite medium plus dry finish. YUM! Drinks well with the decant and time to go. — 3 months ago

Brenda Terzich-Garland
with Brenda
Brenda, Paul and 13 others liked this