At Friarwood, as an independent wine merchant, we've been championing exceptional Bordeaux wines since our founding in 1967, and our passion for this legendary region remains as strong as ever. Over the past decade, Bordeaux has delivered some truly remarkable vintages that deserve a place in every serious wine lover's cellar. Whether you're looking to drink now or lay down for the future, these outstanding years offer something special for every palate and budget.
Why Bordeaux Continues to Reign Supreme
Bordeaux's reputation as the world's premier wine region isn't built on history alone—it's earned anew with each vintage. The region's unique terroir, combining diverse soil types with a maritime climate, creates the perfect conditions for producing wines of extraordinary complexity and longevity. From the prestigious Left Bank châteaux to the elegant Right Bank estates, Bordeaux offers an unparalleled range of styles and expressions.
The Standout Vintages of the Last Decade
2016: The Modern Classic
The 2016 vintage stands out as one of the finest of the past decade. These wines showcase perfect balance between power and elegance, with structured tannins that promise excellent ageing potential.
What to buy now from Friarwood: Our Château Lagrange 2016 Saint-Julien offers refined elegance with rich dark fruit, fine tannins, and excellent ageing potential—perfect for collectors. The Château Talbot 2016 Saint-Julien delivers medium-bodied complexity with notes of blackberry, woodsmoke, and pencil lead, age-worthy until 2045. For Right Bank excellence, consider the Château Saint Georges 2016 Saint-Émilion with its full-bodied character and fruity complexity, or the Château Lucas Grand Cuvée Prestige 2016 Lussac-Saint-Émilion for refined elegance. The Château Cantenac Brown Brio 2016 Margaux represents Left Bank precision with its blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc.
View our full collection here: 2026 Bordeaux Wine Collection
2015: The Crowd-Pleaser
2015 delivered wines with immediate appeal—rich, fruit-forward, and approachable in their youth. These wines have developed beautifully and are drinking magnificently now, making them perfect for current consumption whilst still having the structure to age gracefully.
What to buy now: Médoc and Pessac-Léognan wines from this vintage offer excellent value and immediate drinking pleasure.
Read our full Guide on this vintage here: 2015 Bordeaux Vintage
2014: The Underappreciated Gem
Often overlooked, 2014 is "an underappreciated vintage, but it is the last classical vintage in Bordeaux – charming, elegant, sophisticated". The 2014s emphasize savoury/earthy aromas and flavours with a chewiness to the tannins, which stand apart from the richer, fruitier, plusher styles of recent vintages.
What to buy now: Saint-Estèphe particularly excelled in 2014, offering wines that represent excellent value for money. These wines are drinking beautifully now and will continue to develop over the next decade.
Click here to see our full collection: 2014 Bordeaux Wines
2020: The Pandemic Vintage
Despite the global challenges, 2020 proved to be an exceptional year for Bordeaux. The growing season was near-perfect, producing wines of remarkable concentration and finesse. These wines are just beginning to show their potential and represent an excellent investment for the future.
What to buy now: Both Left and Right Bank wines from 2020 show tremendous promise. Consider securing these whilst they're still reasonably priced.
View our 2020 Bordeaux Wines
2019: The Generous Year
2019 delivered wines with generous fruit and well-integrated tannins. These wines are approachable now but have the structure to age beautifully. The vintage produced consistently high-quality wines across all appellations.
What to buy now from Friarwood: Our Château Nénin 2019 Pomerol exemplifies the power and richness of this vintage with bold dark fruit flavours and firm tannins that promise excellent development.
Read our full Guide on this vintage here: 2019 Bordeaux Vintage
Friarwood's Bordeaux Selection
At Friarwood, we work directly with châteaux to import exclusive wines that represent exceptional quality and value. Our collection spans from prestigious Grand Cru Classé estates to hidden gems from talented smaller producers. Each bottle in our Bordeaux selection has been carefully chosen by our team for its character, quality, and ability to age gracefully.
Whether you're seeking a special bottle for a celebration or building a collection for the future, our Bordeaux range offers something for every occasion. From the robust reds of the Left Bank to the elegant offerings of the Right Bank, we've curated a selection that showcases the very best of what Bordeaux has to offer.
Investment Potential and Drinking Windows
The vintages mentioned above not only offer exceptional drinking pleasure but also represent sound investment opportunities. The fine wine market has achieved an impressive compound annual growth rate of 8% over the last several years, with Bordeaux leading this growth.
For immediate drinking: Our Château Talbot 2016 are showing beautifully now, offering immediate pleasure whilst retaining their development potential.
For medium-term cellaring (5-10 years): The Château Nénin 2019 Pomerol and Château Saint Georges 2016 Saint-Émilion offer excellent potential for development over the coming decade.
For long-term investment: The Château Lagrange 2016 Saint-Julien and Château Talbot 2016 have the structure and concentration to age gracefully for decades, with the Talbot specifically noted as age-worthy until 2045.
Our Recommendations
When building your Bordeaux collection, consider diversifying across different appellations and styles. The Left Bank offers power and structure, perfect for special occasions and long-term ageing—our Château Lagrange 2016 Saint-Julien and Château Talbot 2016 exemplify this perfectly. The Right Bank provides elegance and earlier drinking pleasure, ideal for more frequent enjoyment, such as our Château Saint Georges 2016 Saint-Émilion and Château Nénin 2019 Pomerol.
Consider wines like the Château Cantenac Brown Brio 2016 Margaux for Left Bank elegance, or explore the value offered by our Château Lucas Grand Cuvée Prestige 2016 Lussac-Saint-Émilion—a refined offering from a satellite appellation that provides outstanding quality at a more accessible price point.
The Friarwood Difference
As an independent London wine merchant with over 50 years of heritage, we bring you wines sourced directly from the château, ensuring authenticity and exceptional value. Our team's expertise, built over decades of working with Bordeaux's finest producers, means we can guide you to the perfect bottles for your cellar and your palate.
Visit us in our Fulham or Wimbledon shops, or explore our carefully curated online collection. Whether you're a seasoned collector or just beginning your Bordeaux journey, we're here to help you discover the wines that will provide years of drinking pleasure.
The last decade has been truly exceptional for Bordeaux, and these vintages represent some of the finest wines the region has ever produced. Don't miss the opportunity to secure these remarkable bottles whilst they're still available—the best Bordeaux vintages have a habit of disappearing from the market rather quickly indeed.
