The biggest challenge in Bordeaux is not chasing allocations of the top châteaux like Margaux, Mouton Rothschild, Lafite, Latour, Cheval Blanc, Petrus, Le Pin and the like, but putting together a range of good value, characterful wines which are typical of their region. We list here properties you can rely on for their consistency, whether Château Malbat, a simple Bordeaux wine, or Chateaux Grand Jean and Trocard, Merlot-based wine for early drinking. Cru Cantemerle is an immaculate property near Fronsac making an elegant, balanced wine with a firmer centre, from an area which deserves a greater following. On the Right Bank, Chantal Amart’s Montaiguillon is a classically styled claret from Montagne-Saint-Emilion which repays some ageing. In the northern Medoc Château Patache d’Aux is a big, forward, fruity wine while its near neighbour, Château La Tour-de-By, has more elegance and length, and Château Cissac a more old-fashioned, traditional standing. There are more listed, all judged by us to be good claret, well worth drinking! Among the more famous Bordeaux Châteaux we have Angludet, Branaire Ducru, Chasse-Spleen, Cissac, Cos d'Estournel, Ducru-Beaucaillou, Ferriere, Feytit-Clinet, Grand-Puy-Ducasse, Grand-Puy-Lacoste, Kirwan, La Lagune, La Tour de By, Lafon-Rochet, Leoville Barton, Montrose, Pavie-Macquin, Pedesclaux, Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, Pipeau, Pontet-Canet, Potensac, Poujeaux and Teyssier.