Barefoot Bordeaux warm-hearted, biodynamic Bdx from Château Pey-Bonhomme

It’s not the kind of sign you see very often outside a Bordeaux estate – Vous êtes tous les bienvenus! (You are most welcome!) – and it gives you some inkling towards the generous and delicious wines crafted at this biodynamic address. The Hubert family’s Château Peybonhomme vineyard is a welcoming, radiant, biodynamic oasis amongst the sometimes dreary, conventionally farmed vineyards of Bordeaux’s Côtes de Blaye (one of the Right Bank’s northern boroughs). Similarly, the soulful, easy-drinking, ‘jolie vin de Bordeaux’ style of the wine swims against the tide of dreary, industrial wine that has become so typical of this region (especially at the lower price points).

Although still very much hands-on, fifth generation growers Catherine and Jean-Luc Hubert are now ceding the day to day running of the Estate to their fresh-faced offspring Rachel and Guillaume, pictured above. You may have recently spotted these lovely siblings at the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival’s Return to Terroirs tasting. Regardless, this family of vignerons break just about every stereotype associated with Bordeaux: their vineyards are certified biodynamic, their wines are easy drinking young, and they offer outstanding value for money. In fact, these are two Estates run along almost Burgundian lines; ploughed vineyards, low-yields, ripe fruit and low intervention, old oak and wild yeast winemaking. All this results in engaging, old-school, medium bodied Bordeaux that combine fresh, juicy and energetic personalities with a much finer tannin profile than that found in many of the region's wines. These wines are just the tonic if, like us, you’re sick and tired of forgettable, by-the-book Bordeaux.  

The vintage 2012 has delivered a range of ripe, succulent and approachable reds.  From this year we offer the latest release of the Pey-Bonhomme red, a rare example of an inexpensive... learn more