Château Fonbadet Pauillac 2016

Château Fonbadet is in the running for the best-kept secret in Pauillac – and perhaps even all of Bordeaux. Set in the heart of the appellation – surrounded by some of the most famously revered wine estates in the world – this site is just a miracle of geolocation. The 2016 vintage is a showstopper for Bordeaux, and at under $35 a bottle – you simply can’t top this supreme value!

94 points and tons of critical fanfare make this a sure thing, at a price nearly unheard of for Pauillac. This is their Grand Vin, pulled from two distinct parcels that shine amongst the family’s 13 hectares of vineyards – a 1.5-hectare property that neighbors both Château Latour and Château Pichon Comtesse and a 10-hectare parcel surrounded entirely by Château Mouton Rothschild. That’s some prime real estate and excellent terroir that rarely coincides with Bordeaux reds under $50...under $90, even!

Here, it is the moderating influences of the Gironde, plus the sandy and well-drained Garonne gravel, that allows the Peyronie family to farm such excellent grapes. The blend is some 70% cabernet sauvignon and 30% merlot – aged in roughly 50% new French oak. Pascale Peyronie now leads the winemaking at the estate, having come onboard to work alongside her father, Pierre, in 1991. She stands as the fourth generation of the Peyronie family at Château Fonbadet, with her son (also Pierre), waiting in the wings. Over the past few vintages, the estate has worked with the legendary oenologist, Michel Rolland, to fine-tune the final blends, and there is no question that this estate is making the best wines in its 70+ year history under the Peyronies' control.

The wine is deeply rich and dark, with seductive aromas of peonies and violets, with pencil lead and bay laurel accents. The flavors are heady and luxuriously layered – black currants, black cherries, baked raspberry, blackberry, and blueberry notes, with bright, crisp plum jam, fresh tobacco, and spice cake undertones. The finish is velvety, with a Rolland signature of finely shaved dark chocolate and berry liqueur notes carrying the wine into a harmonious and pleasing finish. There’s a lot to love about this wine now, but more complexity still after an hour in the decanter – with a depth of flavor that should allow this to drink well for another decade plus!

PAIRING IDEAS: With the winter weather here to stay for a few months, it’s time to fire up a batch of chili! I like to roast pasilla peppers, alongside serranos, garlic, onions, and Roma tomatoes over an open flame to get that nice smokey base, pureeing it all in a blender and setting it to the side. Brown the beef, first some chunk stew meat, then some ground beef, deglaze with good beef stock, and fold in that puree. Season, and season some more until it tastes just right. A bit of brown sugar and a spike of apple cider vinegar finish mine, plus more heat if needed!