Tucked in a northeast corner of Bordeaux's right bank, just between beloved Pomerol and renowned St Emilion, nestles Lalande de Pomerol. Not as acclaimed as its neighbor, Pomerol, Lalande de Pomerol can be strikingly similar in presence, more approachable when young, and while its soils lack the sanguine iron unique to Pomerol, nearly every other characteristic is there in full blossom at a fraction of the price. This interpretation, Chateau Moncets, is exclusive to our shops and has been since my trip to Bordeaux in 2018. Across Bordeaux, 2015 drew the attention of critics and consumers alike, but at about the same time we started to hear that buzz, even more pronounced enthusiasm about 2016 was reaching us from producers directly. The result had been an extended run of 2015 availability while we wait excitedly for the “more classic” 2016 vintage of the same wines to be released. As much as 2015 embodied the classic “Lalande” character of huckleberry, bramble fruit, and rhubarb, 2016 is a more serious study in what Bordeaux is and has always been all about (and why Merlot is still one of the world's most important varieties, whatever Paul Giamatti says!). A cooler vintage, we can still enjoy that lush fruit character nonetheless, but we’re offered a deeper complexity of dark, graphite mineral character and a lip-smacking dry finish, more like Bordeaux and less like California Zinfandel. One of the few French 2016’s remaining at a 2015 price ($30), we could not be more excited for Moncets to finally have its fully due Wine of the Month moment in the sun! Food Pairings: Roast Duck, Glazed Baked Ham, Shepherd's Pie (veggie versions too!)