If you ever held that precious appointment to visit a Pauillac 1st Growth such as Château Lafite Rothschild or Château Mouton Rothschild, there is always that unfortunate likelihood that you will be denied entry through those iron gates. Unless you are one of the fortunate few with an unlimited wine budget to buy a few bottles of these $500-1000 per bottle collectibles, don’t worry, just get back in the car and head 10 MINUTES WESTBOUND to Château Cissac instead!

Lucid claret with fiery highlights of crimson and deeper vivid ruby sparks on the broad rim shows its pedigree even just by looks. Intense blackberries, briary, crushed stone and a touch of graphite compose the aromatics of the aristocratic nose. Medium-bodied on the palate with reserves in velvety tannins and a keen line of acidity that adds to the complexity. The sophisticated finale with layers of mineral-rich kirsch, cocoa, dried flowers, and nutty spices is as impressive as how it all began. The superb richness of texture without being heavy or too ripe, make this scholarly while hearty red ideal for saucy braised short ribs.

The Vialard family are both the proprietors of Château Cissac and they have also been operating a successful négociant house for over half a century in Bordeaux, trading many esteemed Châteaux nearby to global merchants. In other words, they know their Bordeaux wines inside out and put every drop of the quality they seek in the very best into their pride and joy Château Cissac. Worth noting that this is a Cabernet dominant Bordeaux, which is quite the rarity at this irresistible price. This wine drinks like as if it had a ZERO ADDED.

Also worth noting that the scores for Haut-Médoc wines are always conservative to allow room for the neighboring greats to rise to their reputations and hefty costs. The better score to keep here is how well 2016 rated for the Left Bank as: “the most consistently great year since 2009 and 2010, both at the top of the market and in terms of good value wines”, being the highest for the decade with 97 points by Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate. Shipping included on just 4 or more too. Pile up now, thank us later.

Here’s what the wine press has to say:

92 Points, Cellar Selection – Wine Enthusiast - “Owned by the Vialard family, this property has produced an impressively dense wine that also has fine fruits. Plenty of acidity sets the wine’s course with freshness as well as structure, giving a firm aftertaste while never losing the liveliness. This impressive, ripe wine is full of tannins and generous black fruits. Its structure and concentration both promise a long-term future, with the weight coming from full-bodied fruitiness. It will be ready to drink after 2025.”

92 Points – Antonio Galloni’s Vinous - “The 2016 Cissac has a clean and pure bouquet with blackberry, boysenberry and cedar aromas that blossom in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, a fine bead of acidity, quite precise with a focused, quite vibrant and persistent finish that is very satisfying. This is a great Cissac, a wine that will give 10 to 15 years of drinking pleasure. Drink 2020-2032.”