Bordeaux Pairings

Pairing: 2008 Château de Pez

De Pez's wines—like this firm, blackberry-inflected 2008—typically sell for about half the price of the neighboring third-growth Château Calon-Ségur. But they're often of similar quality.

Pairing: 2009 Château Haut Rian Bordeaux Sec

Michel Dietrich left his native Alsace to become the owner of Haut Rian, where he specializes in Sémillon-dominated wines like this white. Notes of honey infuse a core of bright lemon flavors and add a lush, viscous quality.

Pairing: 2009 Château Lamothe de Haux

An insane value, this Bordeaux white seamlessly blends Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon and Muscadelle. An ideal aperitif.

Pairing: 2009 Château Les Maines Cuvée Soleil d'Or

The range of citrus notes in this Asian-influenced dish will be brought into focus by the blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon characteristic of a white Bordeaux.

Pairing: 2008 Château de Pez St-Estèphe

While most St-Estèphe estates rely primarily on Cabernet Sauvignon, this bottling is nearly half Merlot, which gives its fresh black cherry layers a silky roundness.

Pairing: 2008 Michel Lynch Merlot

Blackberry and plum notes define the palate of this bright, juicy red. While simple, it's highly enjoyable, proving that it's still possible to find great value in Bordeaux.

Pairing: 2008 Château Trotanoy Pomerol

Christian Moueix claims that of all the wines he has produced, this vintage is the most enjoyable in its youth.

Hand-sorting, manual destemming and small-batch fermentation result in La Tour's New World-styled red, uncommonly fruit-driven for Bordeaux. Its lush black fruit is augmented by vanilla-tinged oak.

Pairing: 2008 Château La Tour Carnet Grand Cru Classé Haut-Médoc

Pairing: 2008 Chateau Mayne Vieil

The hilly Fronsac region is a great source for lush but structured Merlot-based Bordeaux like this one.

Pairing: 2008 Château Pape Clément Grand Cru de Graves Pessac-Léognan

Lovely peach-and-melon fruit reveals the strength of the 2008 vintage for Bordeaux whites.