Jean Michel Garcion

The Rising Star of Saint Emilion – Tasting a Vertical of Chateau La Croizille 2007 – 2024…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

La Croizille is a wonderfully situated Saint Emilion Grand Cru Classé Chateau that was acquired by the Belgian De Schepper – De Mour family in 1996 and whose wines are sold mostly in the Benelux. The 5 hectares of vines belonging to the Château benefit from the same remarkable soils, on the borders of the clay-limestone plateau of Saint-Emilion in the commune of Saint-Laurent des Combes, as famous chateaux such as Tetre Roteboeuf, Rocheyron and Troplong Mondot.

After 1996, the De Schepper family commenced on a large investment spree, bringing the estate into the modern winemaking era, combining its sought-after terroir with high-end technology and traditional know-how to create a wine with great opulence, finesse, modernity, and personality under the watchful eye of highly respected head winemaker and technical director, Jean-Michel Garcion.

Technical Director Jean Michel Garcion

I have been following their wines since I was introduced to the chateau in 2014 when I travelled to Bordeaux to run the 30th Bordeaux Marathon, and I can confirm that all the hard work and focus applied by Jean Michel and his team has paid off handsomely with both Chateau La Croizille and the neighbouring property, Chateau Tour Baladoz, also owned by the De Schepper family, being upgraded from Saint Emilion Grand Cru status up to the Saint Emilion Grand Cru Classé classification commencing with the 2022 vintage. A hard earned and well-deserved recognition of the continuity of excellence at these two high quality Chateaux.

The Chateau La Croizille on the limestone cote.

So to celebrate this momentous reclassification, I have updated my vertical tasting notes for La Croizille to include not only all the bottles I retasted at the Chateau in September 2023, but also fittingly, to include the latest 2023 Grand Cru Classé vintage release that will be bottled next year. These are wines to seek out, drink and add to your cellar collection while they still offer excellent value for money in the context of the region’s premium Saint Emilion reds. 

Chateau La Croizille Saint Emilion Grand Cru 2007, 13% Abv.

The vineyards on the clay-limestone plateau yielded a spectacularly good offering in 2007. Notes of polished mahogany, earth, tannery leather, cherry kirsch liqueur and black current rise out of the glass. Wonderful berry concentration, elegance and subtle evolution are hallmarks on this expertly crafted wine. It will be hard not to finish the bottle once you open this beauty. Drink now to 2030+.

(Wine Safari Score: 92/100 Greg Sherwood MW) – Tasted December 2017.

Chateau La Croizille Saint Emilion Grand Cru 2010, 13% Abv.

From this epic vintage, notes of polished mahogany, boot polish, black cherry kirsch liquer and black current confit rise imperiously out of the glass. Wonderful concentration, elegance and freshness are all wrapped together with a most expertly integrated lick of new French oak. This is everything you would want from an iconic vintage and a real testament to winemaker Jean-Michel’s true skills. Drink now to 2035+. (Wine Safari Score: 94+/100 Greg Sherwood MW) – Tasted December 2017.

A blend of 50% Merlot and 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, like the 2012, this is another impressive vintage showing fabulous depth and complexity with time in the glass albeit from one of the greatest ever vintages bestowed upon Bordeaux! Dense, dark and opaque in the glass, the aromatics boast exotic notes of cherry kirsch liquor, molasses, demerara sugar and black plum. This is, as expected, a very complex, sophisticated expression, with ripeness and plenty of dry extract, chalky mineral tannins and great underlying power whilst retaining a seductive, spicy, seductive finesse. You’d really want to have some of this in your cellar.

(Wine Safari Score: 95/100 Greg Sherwood MW) – Tasted September 2023.

Chateau La Croizille Saint Emilion Grand Cru 2011, 13% Abv.

The 2011 shows attractive floral perfume aromatics, polished oak, cherry confit, cherry liquer and saline black current leaf intensity. Superb concentration, sleek textured elegance and freshness and a smattering of the most attractive French oak vanilla spice notes. A noble and impressive follow up to the 2010 and a wine that will happily grace the tables of the most discerning connoisseurs. Drink now to 2029+.

(Wine Safari Score: 93/100 Greg Sherwood MW) – Tasted December 2017.

Chateau La Croizille Saint Emilion Grand Cru 2012, 13% Abv.

A dark cherry black opaque colour greets the drinker. Initially, the nose is broody and closed. But a little glass swirling and coaxing starts to elicit some of the more classical elements of the bouquet… black berry, black cherry pith, cassis, dusty limestone minerality, hints of graphite and a gloss of buttered brown toast. The oaking is almost imperceptible, revealing a very restrained and quite classical expression from this “drinking” Bordeaux vintage. The palate has all the sleekness, suppleness, and accessibility that you’d expect from a 2012. A soft fine-grained texture with polished powdery tannins, chalky grip and spicy, plummy, peppery black cherry and black berry fruit. It’s all packed into a very classical, medium bodied parcel, that delivers pleasure now but also suggest it is structured enough to be holding back a few surprises in reserve for drinkers in 5 to 8 years’ time. (Wine Safari Score: 92/100 Greg Sherwood MW) – Tasted December 2017.

Another great vintage from the Chateau, this 2012 shows seductive aromatics of damson plum, juniper and black cherry with hints of liquorice and melted tar. The palate offers the friendly face of generous, opulent, succulent Merlot while retaining a tight knit textural elegance and focus. With just a hint of nutty, savoury tertiary development on the finish, this is undoubtedly a wine that is standing the test of time and defying its age. Great to drink now but certainly no rush.

(Wine Safari Score: 94/100 Greg Sherwood MW) – Tasted September 2023.

Chateau La Croizille Saint Emilion Grand Cru 2014, 13% Abv.

This wine is ripe and rich with beautifully plush classical right bank allure and a soft textured, elegant cassis pastille fruit concentration. A complex wine already in its youth, the layers of mocha, cocoa powder spice and sweet damson plum coat the tongue and thrill the palate. This wine has real depth of fruit, vibrant freshness, and superb length. A class act from some of the best terroir in St Emilion.

(Wine Safari Score: 93+/100 Greg Sherwood MW) – Tasted December 2017.

Chateau La Croizille Saint Emilion Grand Cru 2015, 13% Abv.

The neighbour of Francois Mitjavile’s Chateau Tertre Roteboeuf, La Croizille is a blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon. True to the vintage, this wine has a spectacularly profound quality, and indeed the 2015 La Croizille could be among their greatest ever vintages produced. Certainly on par with the epic 2005, 2009 and 2010, the 2015 has a nose that is seductively perfumed, lifted out of the ordinary by cherry blossoms and an exotic undertone of cherry kirsch liqueur. The caramelized oak notes tease like sprinkles on a chocolate cake! The palate too is dark, dense, powerful, and packed full of opulent exotic flavours of Chinese plum sauce, tart cherry confit, sweet cassis and vanilla pod spice. The balance is exceptional, spreading broad and wide across the palate. This is right bank Bordeaux at its seductive, classical best. Plump yet fresh, dense, sweet fruited and gravelly, yet never losing focus. Oh, and the finish goes on and on like a Duracell bunny! What an impressive wine. (Wine Safari Score: 95/100 Greg Sherwood MW) – Tasted December 2017.

From another warm ripe harvest, 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon blend shows impressive classicism and restraint with dark broody notes of juniper and ripe sloe berries, black cherry, and cassis with a pronounced maritime, kelpy salinity. The palate is generously soft textured and elegant, supremely supple yet fresh, showing that this wine is in a very happy place at the moment. Slightly reined in again on the finish, it’s an impressive creation that will appeal to a broad church of Bordeaux lovers.

(Wine Safari Score: 95+/100 Greg Sherwood MW) – Tasted September 2023.

Chateau La Croizille Saint Emilion Grand Cru 2016, 14% Abv.

The 2016 Château La Croizille has a dense, opulent profuse blueberry fruited nose, high-toned and showy, with all the mineral limestone complexity of its prestigious neighbours such as Tertre Roteboeuf, Troplong Mondot and Rocheyron. The palate is showing some elegant restraint and class with sweet ripe tannins, surly brambly red and black fruits, and an earthy, foresty, rather masculine, slightly introspective finish. So seductive and noble, this wine speaks of great St Emilion terroir with very intelligent winemaking. A superb effort. (Wine Safari Score: 93-95/100 Greg Sherwood MW)  – Tasting of barrel sample at En-primeur April 2017.

This is of course a great vintage and on great terroir, iconic wines are produced. This 2016 speaks with a quiet confidence, fabulously focused and intense. On the nose there is a clearly defined purity, clarity, and precision that combines ripeness and restraint, fruit intensity and minerality. A superbly precise wine with pinpoint tannins, a silky finesse, pithy black currant, and black cherry fruits framed by a smoky, chalky mineral tannin veil on the finish. Very impressive indeed.

(Wine Safari Score: 95/100 Greg Sherwood MW) – Tasted in bottle September 2023.

Chateau La Croizille Saint Emilion Grand Cru 2018, 14.5% Abv.

Wonderfully complex aromatics of stewed black cherries, black orchard fruit compote, with hints of liquorice, wood smoke and graphite. The palate is opulent and densely fruited with a pronounced air of ripeness, warmth and sweet fruit, impressively layered in the mouth. On the finish, the flamboyance is reined in, retaining a seamlessly creamy texture but without and obtrusive sweetness. Drink now to 2035+.

(Wine Safari Score: 94+/100 Greg Sherwood MW) – Tasted September 2023.

Chateau La Croizille 2019 Saint Emilion Grand Cru (Barrel Sample)

Plush, broadly aromatic but beautifully soft toned with dulcet notes pink musk, purple rock candy and black currant with a fabulously generous glycerol concentration, harmonious breadth and depth and a subtle, vanilla dusted, brûléed blueberry muffin finish. Delicious expression. Power with elegance.

(Wine Safari Score: 92-94/100 Greg Sherwood MW) – Tasted En-primeur April 2020.

Chateau La Croizille 2020, Saint Emilion Grand Cru, 14.5% Abv.

The 2020 vintage comes from another warm ripe solar harvest year, and this wine shows impressive depth and breadth of texture, with dark broody notes of cherry kirsch liquor, juniper and ripe sloe berries, rose petals, black cherries, blueberries, and black currant with a signature limestone maritime salinity. The palate is generously soft textured, broad but elegant, supremely supple yet impressively fresh with exotic layers of black currant and salty black liquorice. A remarkably elegant, pure and accessible expression with real gravitas that shows a true sense of Saint Emilion limestone terroir. Drink now to 2035+.

(Wine Safari Score: 95/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Chateau La Croizille 2021, Saint Emilion Grand Cru Classe, 13.5% Abv.

A blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2021 Bordeaux vintage has been pulled up by some critics for producing wines on the left bank offering lighter, more elegant accessible wines, many patently for earlier drinking. But on the right bank,  and especially on top of the limestone Côte in Saint Emilion, some exceptional expressions were produced. With illustrious neighbours Troplong Mondot and Le Tertre Roteboeuf making noteworthy wines, La Croizille joins the party with another seriously delicious wine, the last vintage produced before being reclassified as an illustrious Grand Cru Classé. Dark and opaque in the glass, the rim is vibrant and bright, with aromatics packed with black plums, earthy black currants and macerated black cherries, intermingling with floral hints of violets, lilac, sweet Asian spices, vanilla pod and hoisin plum sauce. The texture is fabulously luxurious and sleek, medium bodied and beautifully polished with soft silky sumptuous tannins underpinned by well-integrated tangy acids. This is a majestic Saint Emilion that offers an abundance of finesse, elegance, and accessible class in keeping with a finer boned, classical vintage. Many consumers, however, will look at the 2021s as a welcomed return to greater vintage restraint and classism. Drink now and over the next 15+ years.

(Wine Safari Score: 94+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Chateau La Croizille 2023, Saint Emilion Grand Cru Classé (Barrel Sample)

Rich, dark and broody with aromatics of purple rock candy, violets, creme de cassis and black cherry confit. The palate is bold and dense, packed full of fleshy, textured fruit extract, dry velvety tannins, and tangy acids, all intelligently coaxed and caressed into a seriously powerful right bank expression that immediately shows its terroir pedigree. 

(Wine Safari Score: 94-95/100 Greg Sherwood MW) – Tasted En-primeur April 2024.

Chateau La Croizille 2024, Saint Emilion Grand Cru Classé, Bordeaux, 14.5% Abv. (Barrel Sample)

A beautifully dark, dense, and seductively opaque in the glass, this 2024 Saint Emilion reveals a deep black berry fruited aromatic underbelly with notes of violets, sweet cigar box, cedar spice, graphite, and blueberry compote with a subtle dusting of vanilla pod oak spice. Notably restrained on the nose, the palate shifts into a higher gear to reveal a plush, silky, harmonious palate with soft supple tannins, seamlessly integrated acids, and soft-toned black and blueberry fruits in the mouth. The extraction has been incredibly gentle, coaxing only the purest and finest characters from this reduced grape harvest. This is undoubtedly a phoenix rising from the ashes of the 2024 vintage weather chaos. A truly standout, classically restrained expression from Saint Emilion’s limestone cote. 

(Wine Safari Score: 93-94/100 Greg Sherwood MW) Tasted En-primeur April 2025.

For ex-cellar prices and vintage availability, contact Anthony Crameri.

Email: anthony_crameri@orange.fr

Rating and Reviewing Another Pair of Classy 2022 Bordeaux Releases from Chateau Tour Baladoz and Chateau Haut Breton…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

With many international critics releasing their new ‘in bottle’ scores for the 2022 Bordeaux vintage, it has become patently clear that this is indeed a very highly lauded vendange worthy of consumer attention. The only caveat was that on the whole, it was certainly not a cheap vintage with many Cru Classe Chateaux pushing the limits with release pricing.

But while the vintage quality was nearly universally high, some producers erred on the side of caution in a slowing market and released their wines at affordable prices. The below two wines from the De Mour stable are two sterling examples of this.

The word was out early that the Bordelais felt they had something special in 2022, long before the world’s wine merchants arrived to make their own assessments at En-primeur. Heatwaves and drought are not usually parents to high-quality wines. However, the wines in barrel confounded merchants’ expectations, with most agreeing that the 2022 vintage was indeed a special one across Bordeaux. Despite the lack of water, the vines did not seem to suffer terribly, remaining in leaf and in good health right up to the harvest. The berries were small and so yields were restricted. All varieties were beautifully ripe, so much so that some properties felt no need to produce any second wines, many opting rather to increase the proportion of press wine in the final blend, such was its quality. Predictably, release prices were very high!

Chateau Haut Breton Larigaudiere 2022, Margaux, 13.5% Abv.

The aromatics on this 2022 show a youthful allure, densely packed with layers of creme de cassis, black cherry and sweet black plum over an already well interwoven wood spice. The palate is sleek and lithe with beautifully polished tannins, a really plush light touch salty black and blueberry fruited concentration, finishing with a delicate acidity and a long, fine vein of graphite minerality. The essence of classic Margaux! Drink from 2026 to 2040+.

(Wine Safari Score: 94/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Chateau Tour Baladoz 2022, Saint Emilion Grand Cru Classe, 14% Abv.

Dark and opaque in colour, this wine looks immediately deep and inviting, offering up aromatics of caramelised plums, ripe black berry confit, creme de cassis and vanilla pod spice. The palate is plush, accessibly fleshy and opulent with a plump sweet black and blueberry density, invigorating glassy acids, creamy dry tannins and a kiss of brûléed espresso and brown breakfast toast nuances on the finish. An utterly thrilling expression once again. Drink from 2025 to 2040+.

(Wine Safari Score: 94+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

The De Mour wines are exported direct to merchants from the Chateaux. Contact: anthony_crameri@orange.fr

An Exceptional De Mour Bordeaux Selection For a New Generation of Bordeaux Drinkers Produced by Winemaking Talent Jean Michel Garcion Reviewed and Rated…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

There are very few moments of the year that are more suited to drinking fine Bordeaux reds than in the chilly winter months and for the past several decades, the big name, big ticket Grand Cru Classé Bordeaux reds from the Medoc have dominated the media column inches with their hundreds of years of history and famous Chateaux names used to seduce consumers. While the wines are often exceptional in quality, their big-ticket pricing when offered En-primeur through negociants have resulted in a large number of consumers being left behind with the wrong messaging. In reality, with the influence of longer and warmer summers in recent years, the true quality of affordable Bordeaux wine has never been better, and that’s before you encounter a winemaking genius like De Mour group winemaker, Jean Michel Garcion.

The De Schepper family now owns five wine estates in Bordeaux as well as the De Mour negociant firm that is tasked with distributing the wines, more often than not, direct to international merchants and retailers. In my experience of tasting and reviewing their wines for the past decade, this is a firm that prides itself on its values, based on human expertise passed down through generations, technical mastery of all stages in the winemaking process, as well as upmarket product ranges developed via exclusive partnerships. All of the family’s estates have obtained ISOO 14001 and HVE (Haute Valeur Environnementale) certification and Jean Michel’s focus is firmly on maintaining a constantly high quality at all price points.

I recently selected four exciting wines from the De Mour portfolio which are not represented by other Bordeaux negociants, giving De Mour total control over their own pricing, distribution methods, and sales and marketing, offering real tangible benefits to a new generation of Bordeaux consumers. The family purchased their fifth estate in 2004, Chateau Lacombe Cadiot, a handsome Bordeaux Supérieur estate located in Ludon, increasing the total area under vines to 55 hectares. After recently updating the Fine Wine Safari vertical tasting notes on their superb flagship winery, Chateau La Croizille, situated between Chateaux Troplong Mondot and Tertre Roteboeuf, and bordering on their other Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classé property, Chateau Tour Baladoz, I thought I would highlight some of the other exceptional wines in their range.

Chateau Tour Baladoz 2021 Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, 13.5% Abv.

I first tasted the 2021 Chateau Tour Baladoz at En-primeur time in 2022 as an unfinished barrel sample, and then again as a finished bottled wine, in September 2023 at the winery with winemaker Jean Michel Garcion. Revisiting the wine in September 2024, after another year in bottle, has benefitted the wine immeasurably. A classical right bank blend of 85% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc but with an exotic 5% sprinkling of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Carménère and Malbec, the aromatics reveal a sophisticated wine with an enticing heady perfume of pressed violets, moist tobacco leaf, blue and black berry fruits, gravel and graphite, and a piercing maritime crème de cassis intensity with a distinctive salted toffee and vanilla pod spice kiss from the 70% new French oak used for 15 months of maturation. On the palate, the wine has fleshed out and gained impressive weight since last tasted, coating the mouth with luxurious creamy fine-grained tannins, sweet black currant, black cherry, and mulberry fruits, finishing with a concentrated, hedonistic Merlot opulence. Once again, this wine shows that superior terroir combined with a striking winemaking prowess, can negate difficult vintage conditions. A very classy wine indeed, to drink on release until 2034+.

(Wine Safari Score: 93+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Chateau Lacombe Cadiot

The Chateau Lacombe Cadiot 2020 is another impressive Bordeaux Supérieur made by Jean Michel Garcion and is sourced from a 15-hectare vineyard bringing together a blend of 60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Petit Verdot from vines that are on average 25 years old and grown on classic loam and clay soils in Ludon-Médoc, just down the road from the famous Chateau Cantemerle Cru Classé Haut Medoc estate. The wine was matured for 12 months after fermentation, 60% in oak barrels including 25% new oak, and the remainder was aged in vats. This is certainly a wine with a pedigree, with the previous 2019 vintage scoring 97/100 in the Decanter World Wine Awards blind tastings as well as an admirable ‘sighted’ 94/100 on A Fine Wine Safari.

Chateau Lacombe Cadiot 2020, AOC Bordeaux Supérieur, 14% Abv.

This is a striking wine that displays a dense, dark, opaque purple black colour in the glass. On the nose, this succulent Merlot laden blend offers up rich aromatics of perfumed violets, lilac, bay leaf spice, sweet blackberries, salted black liquorice and black cherry before notes of ripe black plums and freshly baked blueberry crumble. Medium to full bodied in the mouth, the palate revels in the creamy plushness and ample ripeness of the 2020 vintage, framed by a lively, accessible core of black currant fruits, black raspberries, and a sappy cinnamon spice on the finish. The tannins are sweet and rounded yet ever present, charming, and generous, adding a delicate frame to the expressive fruit concentration. A delightfully well-proportioned wine that showcases Jean Michel’s masterful winemaking experience that has, for a large part, been fine-tuned over many vintages in Saint-Emilion and Pomerol. Hence, the right bank similarities with this Médoc expression are no coincidence. Drink on release and over the next 5 to 8+ years.

(Wine Safari Score: 92/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Nativus 2019, AOC Bordeaux, 15.5% Abv. 

This 100% Merlot red boasts a rich, heady aromatics packed with lilac, Parma violets, savoury black currants, tobacco leaf, black breakfast tea, pink musk and hints of warm blueberry crumble. There are overt notions of rich sweet oak which is incredibly well integrated into the fabric of the wine, balanced by the plush, opulent black plum and black cherry fruit concentration. Full, broad, and fleshy, the mouthfeel is comfortingly dense and creamy, revealing sweet ripe tannins and a soft caressing low acid elegance. A powerful Bordeaux red expression that offers a plush, hedonistic fruit gravitas over structured minerality and classicism. Enjoy with a nice chunk of cote de boeuf for the full fireworks! From 2024 to 2030+.

(Wine Safari Score: 93/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Lady de Mour 2022, AOC Margaux, 12.5% Abv.

The 2022 Lady de Mour is produced from premium grapes grown in Arsac in the Margaux appellation on gravelly sand and gravel clay soils. The vines are on average 22+ years of age and planted to mostly Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petit Verdot. In the 2022 cuvee, the blend is 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot that is aged for between 12 to 18 months in French oak barriques with normally a 30% new oak portion. The high-density plantings at 10,000 vines per hectare yield a wine that that is beautifully intense, floral, and perfumed, revealing notes of Parma violets, rose petals, black cherry pastille and pink musk over blue and black berry fruits, purple rock candy, and subtle notes of cherry cola. Regarded as one of the finest vintages on the left bank in almost a decade, this 2022 speaks confidently of Margaux’s textural complexity, weightless concentration, and supreme elegance, with a palate packed full of sweet crème de cassis, tart blueberries, and black cherries dusted with a salted caramel and vanilla pod spice. Undeniable seductive and fabulously harmonious, boasting an impressive fruit balance with the silkiest of tannins. This is undoubtably another masterclass in precision winemaking from Jean Michel Garcion. Drink now and over the next 6 to 8+ years.

Wine Safari Score: 92+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

The wines from the De Schepper family are available through their own in-house negociant, De Mour. Contact Anthony Crameri to find out more about all available labels, vintages, and ex-cellar pricing.

Contact: anthony_crameri@orange.fr 

The True Appeal of Petit Chateaux Bordeaux – Tasting the Impressive Chateau Moulin Lafitte 2018…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

While so many column inches are written about the great wines of Bordeaux every year, much of this commentary is restricted to the top 25, or perhaps the top 50 Cru Classé Chateaux of the Medoc. The charm and appeal of these great historical Chateaux is clear for everyone to see, however, everyday wine consumers are far more likely to first encounter the delicious wines from the many Petit Chateaux in Bordeaux, located on both the left and right bank of the Gironde, long before they ever graduate to the classified Cru Classé growths. Drinking and enjoying wines like Chateau Moulin Lafitte, is a key part of many consumers Bordeaux journey.

The small 13.5-hectare Bordeaux property of owner Eric Couthures is located in Saint-Pierre d’Aurillac on the northern banks of the Garonne river just east of Barsac and Preignac. The average age of the vines is 30+ years old with most of the vines planted on primarily clay rich soils at a density of 3,000 to 5,000 vines per hectare. In these clay rich soils, Merlot thrives, forming up to 40% of the final Chateau Moulin Lafitte blend depending on the vintage, along with up to 30% of Cabernet Sauvignon for added structure and density, and 30% Cabernet Franc for textural elegance, perfume, and finesse. At the Chateau, De Mour head winemaker Jean Michel Garcion acts as technical director, crafting these three cultivars into classical red blends that are aged in vats for between 8 and 12 months before bottling. I recently tasted the 2018 vintage that is currently on release in many European markets and was suitably impressed.

Chateau Moulin Lafitte 2018, AOC Bordeaux, 13% Abv.

An opaque red plum colour in the glass with a bright garnet rim, the aromatics on the 2018 cuvee are evocative, deep, and broody, with ample notes of potpourri, dried mint leaf, white flowers, freshly tilled earth and subtle notes of ripe wild dark berries, pink musk, spiced plums, black currant compote and sweet sappy cedar spice nuances. The medium bodied palate shows a sleek, polished mouthfeel with harmonious tight grained tannins and a controlled power, perfectly balanced by soft, fleshy black berry fruits, spicy black cherry, hints of black tea, and a pithy vibrant freshness on the finish. Masterfully assembled, this blend combines the generosity and plushness of the Merlot fruit with the ample structure and authority of the two Cabernet grapes, fashioning an impressive, classically styled savoury Bordeaux with harmony and finesse. At almost 7 years old, this 2018 is approaching peak drinkability! 

(Wine Safari Score: 91/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

The wines are distributed by De Mour Wines. Contact Anthony Crameri for further vintage and ex-cellar pricing information.

anthony_crameri@orange.fr

Exploring Bordeaux Second Wines – Part 14: Chateau Haut Breton Larigaudiere Le Trianon de Larigaudiere 2020 Margaux…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

Le Trianon de Larigaudiere is the second wine of Chateau Haut Breton Larigaudiere and is produced from the youngest vines in the vineyard around the Chateau in the Margaux appellation. The Chateau’s wines are produced by Jean Michel Garcion, one of the of the most respected winemakers on the left bank, who’s also a massive admirer of Cabernet Sauvignon. As a result, this younger vine wine is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon but also a generous 40% Merlot, which lends the cuvee great softness, fleshiness and opulence in the mouth.

Following a cold pre-fermentation maceration, the juice is kept on the skins for between 15 and 30 days in concrete and stainless-steel vats of varying sizes, for fine-tuned, plot-by-plot fermentation. Each decision is based on the specific vintage and the resulting grape quality. After fermentation, the wines are aged 12 to 15 months in French and American oak barrels, including 25% new barrels, 60% first fill and 15% in second fill oak barriques.

The Chateau Haut Breton Larigaudiere has recently undergone a sizable facelift making the tasting room a worthwhile stop when traveling down the D2 through Margaux.

Chateau Haut Breton Larigaudiere Le Trianon de Larigaudiere 2020, Margaux, 12.5% Abv.

A broody opaque dark red black plum colour in the glass, the 2020 Trianon boast classical Bordeaux aromatics of violets, earthy black currants, macerated black plums, red cherries, wet tobacco and raspberry herbal tea nuances that melt into subtle wood spice and vanilla pod notes. The palate is beautifully sleek and harmonious with satin soft tannins and tart sour black cherry acids that are invigorating and mouthwatering. Not only is the texture beautifully elegant, accessible and soft but the wine retains the signature Margaux’esque majesty and finesse that makes the wines of this appellation so seductive, young or old. In true second wine style, this 2020 is delicious and ready to go now but will offer incremental drinking pleasure for a good 5 to 8+ years.

(Wine Safari Score: 90+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Available ex-Chateau on direct import. Contact anthony_crameri@orange.fr for more information.