With prices for Chateau Lafite Rothschild rising all the time, some wine lovers might wonder how they can sample exceptional Bordeaux wines without breaking the bank.

In 1983, a 12-bottle case of Lafite 1982 sold en primeur for £300, while this summer the 2009 vintage went for £13,500 - partly due to the phenomenal Chinese thirst for the brand, the Guardian reports.

However, great wines do not necessarily have to be wildly expensive. David Williams of the newspaper noted that a bottle of Chateau Chasse-Spleen, Cru Bourgeois Moulis 2005 can be bought from FINE+RARE for £21.

He explained that a "beautifully concentrated, carefully oaked classic", this wine represents a "relatively inexpensive opportunity to see what all the '05 fuss was about".

Harvesting recently began for the 2010 vintage in Bordeaux, where growers anticipate a small but high-quality yield.