In the wake of Neal Martin's new Bordeaux 2018 Report for Vinous now that the wines are in bottle, most of the fine wine world has clambering for his only 100 point wine, Château Palmer. While the focus is elsewhere, a value 'hidden gem' (NM) in the form of Sergant 2018 has passed by many.

A Bordeaux that Martin recommends you 'go seek', the 2018 Sergant impressed him when in barrel but now it is in bottle he can confirm it is a 'top-quality Lalande de Pomerol'.

Scoring 93 points from Vinous, it is getting much harder to throw around a word like value nowadays in Bordeaux but offered at just £15 per bottle IB, you will struggle to find a wine that can rival Sergant's price-to-quality ratio. It is clearly one of the biggest bargains of the entire campaign, outscoring giants like Petit Mouton, L'Evangile and Calon Segur, as can see in the table below.

This 100% Merlot has a well balanced palate with 'fine-grained tannins, a silky-smooth texture and beautifully integrated oak toward the finish' (NM). An approachable 2018, this Sergant is nearly in its prime drinking window already and will cellar up to 2034.

Lalande de Pomerol is located just next to its more prestigious neighbour and has a very similar terroir. The village of Neac, where Sergant is located, even has the same blue clay soil synonmous with many of the top Pomerol properties. To make the most of this fantastic site, Hubert de Boüard of Château Angelus helps consult in the making of this wine.

Offered today at just £90 per case IB, it is hard to emphasise quite how rare it is to find a Bordeaux, let alone a baby Pomerol, with the quality and value offered by the Sergant 2018. Those not stocking up their cellars with this will regret missing out.