Four highly discounted Bordeaux wines in a wood box for a total of just $29.99, we review the 2020 edition of the Costco exclusive Grands Vins de Bordeaux box set!
Four Bordeaux wines, with decent scores (90-91 points), for just $7.50 a bottle in a nice wood box. Whether you're buying this one as a gift or for yourself, you'll want to check out our review below.
The Grands Vins de Bordeaux Box Set is available exclusively at Costco for just $29.99 ($7.50/bottle). The four included red blends lean heavy on Merlot and they come from a few areas in Bordeaux, France. They are imported by Misa Imports.
Here's what's in the box:
- 2020 Petit Sociondo Blayes Cotes de Bordeaux
- 2020 Chateau Subilaux Blaye Cotes de Bordeaux
- 2020 Marquis de Berne Bordeaux Superieur
- 2020 Chateau de Lyde Cadillac Cotes de Bordeaux
The first thing you'll notice (besides the scores plastered prominently on each bottle) is that the wines come from lesser known areas of Bordeaux. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, however, as that is often where the best value is found.
Three of the wines come from the Cotes de Bordeaux, with both Blaye Cotes de Bordeaux, which is right across the Gironde estuary from Medoc, and Cadillac Cotes de Bordeaux, to the west of the Entre-deux-Mers appellation, represented here.
The remaining wine is labeled as a Bordeaux Superieur, which is intended to be a step up from the standard Bordeaux AOC wines. It could come from just about anywhere within the larger Bordeaux region but in this case comes from in or near the Cadillac Cotes de Bordeaux area.
Let's take a look at each wine, shall we?
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Up first in the Grands Vins de Bordeaux box set is the 2020 Petit Sociondo Blayes Cotes de Bordeaux from Vignobles Gabriel & Co. It is comprised of 75% Merlot, 15% Malbec and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. It is aged in stainless steel vats and has an SRP of $15.
From the winery:
Purple in colour, it opens with generous notes of fresh summer berries on the nose. The mouth is rich with powerful tannins that fade into aromas of very ripe redcurrants. As a whole it is perfectly balanced and lively with marked sweetness. An accomplished, classic style that highlights the appellation’s finest terroirs.
13% Alcohol
The 2020 Petit Sociondo Blayes Cotes de Bordeaux begins with a pleasing aroma of dark berry fruit, on the riper side, plus a little bit of spice. It's not super exciting but it is nice.
The wine tastes smooth with similar flavors to the nose and a little spice on the mid-palate. This wine is very young, however, and the tannins are still quite pronounced. To be honest, it's rather unexciting at this point but it definitely has potential, which we started to see a glimpse of on day 2.
It ends dry, long and chewy. By day 2 both the nose and the palate were more expressive although still a bit tight, pointing again to the young age of this wine. It was definitely better on day 2 though and will certainly be even better in a few years.
2020 Petit Sociondo Blayes Cotes de Bordeaux
Up next in the Costco Grands Vins de Bordeaux box set we've got the 2020 Chateau Subilaux Blaye Cotes de Bordeaux which is also from Vignobles Gabriel & Co. It is a blend of 72% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cot (Malbec). It is aged in stainless steel with wood inserts for several months. It is available for around $14 elsewhere.
From the winery:
The color is intense, on a ruby red. The nose is frank, on a crunchy fresh fruit. The palate exudes notes of fresh fruit and tangy candy. The whole is greedy with sweetness, with volume in the mouth and a supple structure.
13% Alcohol
The 2020 Chateau Subilaux Blaye Cotes de Bordeaux begins with a fresh aroma full of red fruits with a touch of spice. It's nice but perhaps a bit one dimensional.
Tasting the wine reveals a soft, smooth mouthfeel with more red fruit that is crunchy and juicy in the mouth. It also has a bit more spice when tasting. It's not overly complex but it's still a solid wine.
It ends dry, long and grippy and was a bit better on day 2.
2020 Chateau Subilaux Blaye Cotes de Bordeaux
The third wine in the Grands Vins de Bordeaux box set is the 2020 Marquis de Berne Bordeaux Superieur from Vignobles Gonfrier. It is 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and aged for 8 months in American oak barrels and 6 months in tanks. It has an SRP of $16 and is available elsewhere for as low as $11.
From the bottle:
Marquis de Bern was born in Bordeaux. He is the reflection of this great journey that made Bordeaux and its wines reputable for many centuries. He works hard, is generous and does not hesitate to cross boundaries. His legendary wines are made carefully be selecting the plots he loves so much along the Garonne river upon the hillsides. This wine offers wonderfully ripe red berry aromas and a lovely balance in the mouth. Remarkably mellow tannins. Ideal for red meats.
13.5% Alcohol
The 2020 Marquis de Berne Bordeaux Superieur begins with a very pleasing aroma of black cherry and blackberry plus a little spice and vanilla, but this one is mostly about the wonderful fruit. It's a good start.
Taking a sip reveals a smooth, round mouthfeel with more dark berry fruit, that is rather juicy in the mouth, and well-integrated spice. Give this a few hours of air and it's quite harmonious!
It ends dry, long and still a bit chewy and grippy from its youth but this one is really starting to come into its own now. By day 2 the aroma was really popping and it was even better all the way around.
2020 Marquis de Berne Bordeaux Superieur
Rounding out the Costco Grands Vins de Bordeaux box set we've got the 2020 Chateau de Lyde Cadillac Cotes de Bordeaux from Vignobles Gonfrier. It is comprised of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and aged 12 months in oak barrels. It has an SRP of $17.
From the bottle:
Located in the town of Baurech 22 kilometers south-east of Bordeaux, it enjoys a magnificent gravelly soil on hillsides exposed to the south, which promotes the excellent maturity of the wines thanks to optimal natural drainage. This is an elegant, refined wine with wonderfully silky tannins. We produce this wine using the method of sustainable viticulture.
13.5% Alcohol
The 2020 Chateau de Lyde Cadillac Cotes de Bordeaux opens with a pleasing aroma of black cherry, plum, a little oaky spice and cedar. This one also needs a lot of air and opens up nicely as it breathes.
The wine tastes smooth with similar flavors to the nose and good balance. This is a really solid Bordeaux blend. As it breathes the oakiness subsides and the fruit gets even more juicy.
It ends dry, grippy (a bit chewy even) and quite long. Still quite young, I'm thinking this will only get better over the next few years. It was even more harmonious by day 2.
2020 Chateau de Lyde Cadillac Cotes de Bordeaux
Overall, these are some solid, tasty wines at a great price.
With two Bulk Buys in the bunch and the ability for all four of these wines to age, this box is definitely worth the $29.99 price tag, either as a gift or to enjoy for yourself! You might even want to stash a few of these a way and taste them in a few years - it's not every day you can say that about a $7.50 bottle of wine.
You might also be interested in our review of the 2023 Costco Wine Advent Calendar.
Looking for more of our favorite picks from Costco? Browse our multi-page listing of recommended wines along with more information on how to best shop the store!
You can also find more of our favorite French wines here.
