Château Saint-Nicolas, Fronsac

One of the most deeply pleasurable and illuminating wine discoveries of last year was a 1990s Right Banker that was in superb drinking condition. We’ve been on a mission to find another ever since, and—pardon the lack of humility—I think we’ve outdone ourselves. Sure, today’s Château Saint-Nicolas is a 1999 Bordeaux priced so low it may cause whiplash, but if you’re still pausing at the sight of “Fronsac” on the label, don’t. This Right Bank appellation might not dominate the contemporary airwaves, but the terroir is as historic and historically treasured as any. In fact, today’s ’99 Fronsac, with its savory fruit and brilliant vigor, might have some Bordeaux-heads mistaking it as Saint-Émilion or Pomerol in a blind tasting. And they wouldn’t be so far off: Just a few miles west of these blockbuster Merlot appellations, you’ll find the wooded hillsides of Fronsac sprinkled with under-the-radar châteaux quietly churning out affordable, high-performance, shockingly age-worthy Bordeaux. O