It was the start of 2020, and no one knew what lay ahead. But in Bordeaux, the show had to go on, so Chateaux and negociants—barrels brimming with wine from a year Wine Advocate called the “sun-kissed cousin” of the legendary 2016 vintage, and “a vintage of pure pleasure”—held fast and put on their annual en primeur futures campaign.\n\nThe 2019 wines were fantastic, including the Clos Sainte Anne, an off-the-charts value that earned 92 points from Wine Enthusiast.\n\nFrom a tiny, meticulously farmed five-hectare estate, this is a Right Bank blend with the structure and vibrancy to thrill traditionalists, and the lush purity of fruit that should tempt any Napa lover.\n\nIn the 1980s, Marie and Sylvie Courselle’s father, Francis, acquired the five-acre plot that would lend its name to this Cotes de Bordeaux. Their family has been making wine in Bordeaux for over 100 years, and the sisters, both enologists, are also co-owners of Chateau Thieuley in Entre-Deux-Mers.\n\nOn travels south of Thieuley, they stumbled upon the south-facing, terraced, gravel-blanketed clay slopes of Clos Sainte Anne, and knew they’d found one of the best sites for Cotes de Bordeaux. The well-draining soils and special microclimate along the nearby Garonne River help create a wine with the kind of character Bordeaux lovers can’t get enough of—refined black fruits, oaky spice, earthy flavors, and grippy tannins.\n\nWhile two-thirds of Merlot-dominant blend is aged in barrels, the remainder rests in concrete tanks, preserving the fresh-fruit character. The Courselles are adamant that wood should never hide—only help accentuate—the quality and generous personality of the famous Cotes de Bordeaux blend. In 2019, they succeeded in spades.
