Château du Carillon, Fronsac

Which of the following provides more pleasure: the “modern,” super-polished Napa Merlots and Pomerols of the world or the savory perfume and classic structure of an affordable, old-school Bordeaux? This would likely trigger an endless debate in a room full of impassioned wine professionals. There’s no wrong answer, of course, but if the latter causes you to perk up, welcome to your newest fixation. At just $25, today’s 2008 Fronsac—imported by us exclusively, directly, and prudently from Château du Carillon—will prove to be the year’s enduring mature Bordeaux value. There’s so much greatness to unpack here. This obscure micro-estate is located in Fronsac, a Right Bank terroir known as “the historical cradle of great Bordeaux.” With 60-million-year-old soils and wine-growing dating back to the Ancient Romans, this just may be the most criminally underrepresented appellation in all of France. And that’s before telling you what lies less than three miles away: Pomerol, home of the world’s