Chateau Fleur la Mothe Medoc 2018  

Sale $19.99 

Buy six or More Pay $17.99 (They come in wooden cases if you order 12 bottles)

92 pts Decanter / 92 pts Wine Enthusiast/ 91 pts Wine Advocate / 91 pts James Suckling

Compare with these St. Estephe wines (this winery is just north of the region)

• Cos d'Estournel 'Les Pagodes de Cos' 2018 – 92 Dec - $70 average online
• Ch. De Pez 2018 – 92 Dec - $59 ave
• Lafon Rochet 2018 – 91 WA - $58 ave

That is a pretty stunning array of critical reviews for a sub $20 Bordeaux, especially one from the Left Bank. (People are willing to pay more for Cabernet Sauvignon!)

The “secret” lies in the ownership – a group of wine consultants with decades of experience decided to come over to the “other side” and bought a winery in 2008. With experience consulting for over 100 Bordeaux properties including Beausejour, Labegorce, Bellevue and Rieussec, they challenged themselves to set about making one of the best wines in the Medoc appellation.

After a decade converting the vineyards to organic, rehabilitating the vines and soil and understanding which grapes are best suited for which plots, they have most definitely succeeded! For the 2018 vintage, Fleur la Mothe was the highest rated Medoc from the Wine Advocate and Decanter. (Likely the others as well, but I am unable to parse the data to exclude Haut-Medoc and cru regions like Margaux and Pauillac, which are in the broad Medoc… in any case… )

A ridiculous price for a wine of this caliber… and note that Wine Advocate and Decanter both say this wine will drink well through 2037. 15+ years of age-worthiness… for $17.99? Crazy.

55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot. 

“Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2018 Fleur la Mothe offers up pronounced notions of cassis, blackberry pie and Black Forest cake with hints of pencil shavings, black olives and lavender. Medium bodied, the palate has an impressive intensity of crunchy black fruits with a lively backbone and well-managed, grainy tannins, finishing long and fragrant.” WA

“A good name to remember when looking for value in the Médoc. It's definitely up there with its 2016, with well defined plum and raspberry fruits, and freshness alongside the tannins, with an excellent smoky touch to the finish. The home estate of consultant Antoine Medeville, located just outside Pauillac. Drinking Window 2023 – 2038.” Decanter 

“A group of the top wine consultants in the Médoc own this estate, where most vines are on gravel mounds (mothe in the local patois means mound). This latest release balances the necessary structure and rich, black-currant fruits. With a dense texture of tannins, the wine will age.” WE


Or reply. The wine is available now in Chapel Hill. Friday, as ordered, in Hillsborough.