The vade mecum of second labels: like their famous siblings they vary in price and quality. But if you hit it right you’ll score a classic French Bordeaux at a showboating price.

France: Bordeaux Second Labels, Part 1

With a strong euro, weak dollar, and heavy demand, it’s no wonder the prices of Bordeaux wines are, to use a wine term, full-bodied. Almost anything from the now fabled 2000 vintage is tres cher, if it is available at all. Earlier vintages produced by well-known estates are also exceedingly expensive Many but certainly not all of these wines are worth the price once you get over sticker shock, some are good investments if you calculate that way, and certain ones will provide extraordinary enjoyment. But what is a wine consumer to do outside of raiding the retirement savings or getting another mortgage loan and splurging?

One suggestion I have is to look at second labels. Second labels should not be confused with second growths. In a complex and not always helpful official classification system, Bordeaux wines are rated as first growth, second growth, and so on. The system, developed in 1855, has changed little while most other things at the chateaux have changed radically. The historic classifications underrate or ignore many less prominent chateaux producing excellent wines. Certainly many of the great names are turning out great wines, but overall the classifications, outside of their historical interest, are more a guide to price than to current quality.

Second labels have nothing to do with the official ratings. The term, at least as I use it, refers to an additional, or second wine, produced on the premises of the primary label. Chateau Lafite-Rothschild, for example, produces its famous grand vin, but also a second brand, Carruades de Lafite, in almost equal quantities.

Each estate has its own method of choosing what goes into its second label (almost all have a second label now) and how much they produce. Generally the initial selection will be in the fields, with the best, older vines, designated for the top label and younger vines designated for second label or other uses. Then, during the winemaking process, as the wine is fermented and aged, batches or cuvees are tasted and, according to the judgments of the winemakers, designated either for the primary and secondary labels, or sometimes just sold in volume.

So while the second label never quite matches the first, it may in theory at least come close. After all, when you have a name like Chateau Margaux, you’re not going to readily compromise your name, especially when your second label is called Pavillion Rouge de Chateau Margaux. This, however, does not guarantee quality. Nor does it mean the wine will necessarily resemble the first label. All that depends on the producer. Some make the effort, others don’t. And, like all winemaking, results are not entirely predictable.

Second labels, like their more famous siblings, can vary in price and quality, depending on the name, the vintage and the marketing. It’s a challenge for the consumer: you can’t plunge in and expect to find good value without some research and due diligence. I have seen bottles as low as $15, and, at the other end, rarely more than $80 or $90. There seem to be quite a few in the $25 to $40 range, and given today’s market conditions, they seem to me good choices for the money if you want a classic French Bordeaux.

With the hundreds of Bordeaux estates, including those virtually unknown to Americans, and the number of good vintages in the 90s and of course 2000, this is clearly an area where most of us need some guidance. My recent guide in the world of Bordeaux second labels has been Jacques Franey of Franey’s Wine & Liquor. Mr. Franey studied and trained in the region, and is immensely knowledgeable. His store carries an excellent selection of Bordeaux, including, if you want to experiment at a low price, that $15 wine, Les Hauts de Pontet, from Pontet-Canet in the Pauillac region of Bordeaux.

Next week, in part 2 of this column, I will review some specific second labels recommended by Mr. Franey and make my own suggestions based on price and quality.