Majestic Esprit Bordeaux Superieur 2023

One of the best reasons to learn to love Bordeaux in this price range is that the wines are not doctored with additives like our domestic examples. In Bordeaux, producers cannot add coloring agents, acidity, chemicals, or sweeteners that enrich the mouthfeel in ways that our country allows. Compare a $15 or even a $20 bottle of American wine to this, and you will see how fake they taste.

Decant this one for half an hour, and the nose explodes with rich notes of fresh black currants, blackberries, red plum, tobacco, and oolong tea. There is a dusty dryness at the beginning, but the richness soon overwhelms the tannin and stretches across the palate. Drink this wine from 2026 to 2028 with bistro classics like flank steak and fries (steak frites!) or pot roast.