Near Bordeaux, discover the 7 centuries of history of a mythical Grand Cru Classé of the Graves surrounded by vines and a sumptuous garden. The unique castle, whose first grape harvest took place in 1252, gives life to a wine that was reserved for ecclesiastical ceremonies for almost 400 years, and wasn’t available publicly until after the French Revolution. Bernard Magrez acquires the prestigious estatein the 1980s. It was then his very first vineyard.
The winemaking here epitomises the phrase ‘attention to detail’. Every bunch of grapes is de-stemmed by hand and chemical fertilizing and aeration rejected in favour of horse-drawn ploughing. All this has resulted in an extremely strong brand identity. Pape Clement is known as one of the jewels of Bordeaux and though its appellation, Pessac-Leognan, was overlooked in the 1855 Classification, exchange platform Liv-ex has marked it as a probable Second-Growth estate in its reimagining of that classification.
Certified sustainableHVE (High Environmental Value) and TERRA VITIS.
Château Paran Justice is situated in Saint Etienne de Lisse, at the bottom of the slopes down to Château de Pressac, taking its name from the unification of two neighboring producers, Château Paran and Château Justice, dating from the 1900s.
The owner, Mr Boutros-Toni, has decided a few years ago to farm his vineyard in an environment friendly way.
Organic wine certified AB (Agriculture Biologique).
Running along the edge of the Saint-Emilion appellation, this vineyard is owned by the Fauchey family, who have been making wine in the Bordeaux area since the 17th century. The estate, until the second world war, made mostly white wine for the army. Today though, the vineyard is mostly planted with merlot, the grape best suited to the climate and soil of the domain.
Like all the greatest wines of the appellation, Château Pédesclaux has the complexity that reflects the terroir it springs from. On this mosaic of soils, the clays convey power while the gravels express pure elegance. Pédesclaux embodies the depth that is the quintessence of Pauillac, balanced by a unique sensuality With each vintage, the painstaking work on these excellent plots pays off, while the revolutionary equipment in the winery enables the wine to develop its own unique personality.
Across the years, a narrative arc has become visible: a scent special to this terroir that is a blend of blackcurrant, violet and cigar box. Sometimes denser and more tropical, at other times more ethereal, always maintaining the balance between powerful aromas and the silky delicacy of the tannins, Château Pédesclaux also boasts a formidable cellaring potential – another key feature of the great Pauillac terroirs.
Château Phélan-Ségur is a St Estèphe property that produces textbook meaty, solid and long-lived St Estèphe. Founded by Irishman Bernard O’Phelan, the estate was developed by his son, Frank, and renamed Phélan Ségur in the early 20th century. It was bought by Xavier Gardinier in 1985 and run by his sons, Thierry and Laurent until 2018, when Philippe Van de Vyvere bought the property.
2017, the first vintage under the new ownership, was marked by the episode of spring frost in the Bordeaux vineyards which spared these vineyards. It is a wine characterized by the high proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon (65%) and the integration of Cabernet Franc in its blend.
Pibran is an old Médoc name. Its highly reputed vineyard covers one of the finest outcrops of Pauillac. The estate, which originally had only just 10 hectares, was expanded in 2001 following the purchase of neighbouring property to reach the current size of 17 hectares of superb Garonne gravel soil. For a long time it belonged to the Billa family, who sold it to AXA Millésimes in 1987. The vineyards were restructured shortly after the purchase, and drainage was improved in order to get the best possible effect of the soil on the wine. Today Château Pibran is carefully produced by the same technical team that makes Château Pichon Baron and then moved in barrel, for aging in the cellars of Pibran.
Château Pichon Baron, Second Grand Cru Classé in 1855, is one of the great historic vineyards of Bordeaux. A rigorous selection policy in the vineyard and in the cellars ensures the production of a Grand Vin, Château Pichon Baron, which is the pure expression of Pauillac unique terroir.
2nd Grand Cru Classé in 1855 from Pauillac belonging to the elite of the Grands Crus of Bordeaux, the Château Pichon Baron signs an exceptional 2019 vintage, entirely representative of the Pauillac appellation. A true mosaic of terroirs and superbly located near the Gironde estuary, the Pichon Baron vineyard extends over 73 hectares of vines planted on perfectly drained Médoc gravel soils, characteristic of the Pauillac appellation.
The property owes its name to the illustrious owner who lived there in the 19th century. Mr. Emilien Piganeau taught plastic arts at the Beaux-Arts in Bordeaux, and was a municipal councilor in St-Emilion for 3 terms. Coming from a family of Bordeaux bankers, he was passionate about drawing, painting, but also archaeology, history and poetry. The property was acquired by the Bruno family in 1978.
The vineyard is located in the Pierrefitte menhir area, near the Dordogne River and the old port of Saint-Emilion.
Sustainable agriculture, HVE (High Environmental Value) Certification. Stop using herbicides since 2018.
Classified as Cru Bourgeois since 1932 and in a constant quest for excellence, Château Plagnac combines respect for the terroir, tradition and cutting-edge innovation. The three towers of Plagnac, traces of the past of this site, guard the entrance to the prestigious building and give this place nobility and character.
Château Plagnac perfectly embodies the Médoc with the power, vigorous tannins and finesse of its clay-limestone terroir.
5th Grand Cru Classé of Pauillac, Château Pontet-Canet has experienced an irresistible rise which has made it one of the most emblematic brands of the Médoc. Led by Justine and Alfred Tesseron, Château Pontet-Canet has established itself as one of the finest references on the left bank of Bordeaux.
In this vintage, Pontet-Canet, shows once again that natural refinement is its finest jewel. 2019, without doubt, is a promise of voluptuousness for all wine lovers.
The Château Pontet-Fumet is located near the village of Vignonet in the well-known wine-growing region of Saint-Émillion.
It is one of the outstanding Grand Crus in Saint-Émillion, where the soils of the vineyards are characterized by sandy gravel soils.
Château Prieuré-Lichine’s history is an amazing mix of different eras and styles. From the Roman origins of the property to its rebirth under the Ballande group, 500 years of historic figures and events at this estate have combined to forge its special spirit, perfectly embodied by the Pope of Wine, Alexis Lichine.
Voluptuous and classic, the Grand Cru Classé of Château Prieuré-Lichine fully expresses the fine characteristics of its terroir with the elegance, subtely and breeding of great Margaux wines.
In 2019, the great terroirs of the Chateau Prieure-Lichine vineyards once again express their complementarity and announce aromatic, full-bodied and velvety wines, characteristic of Margaux.
For more info, visit Château Prieuré-Lichinewebsite.
VARIETALS
62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot
Situated between Saint Estephe and Pauillac, overlooking the first classified growths of Medoc, the Château Puy Castéra can claim one of the most prestigious wine neighborhoods in the world. This domaine of 18 hectares has a terroir of exception which provide to the wine complexity and elegance.
The name of this Château dates back to ancient times, meaning “fortress on a hill”. It is also notable for having once belonged to one of the biggest names in viticulture: Henri Marès, the man who discovered how to combat powdery mildew.
VARIETALS
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot
The Château Quinault l’Enclos property is located on the right bank of Bordeaux in the Saint-Émilion appellation. Belonging to the famous Château Cheval Blanc, the first classified A growth of Saint-Émilion, the wines of Château Quinault l’Enclos benefit from the same care as those of Château Cheval Blanc.
A vintage of challenges marked by strong climatic contrasts, 2018 will remain a great year in the memories of the property. The heavy rainfall at the start of the year will have generated significant mildew pressure. The precision and constant attention paid by the property’s technical teams made it possible to save Château Quinault L’Enclos from mildew. The beautiful summer which set in in July with an ideal September favored perfect ripening with berries with good concentration.
VARIETALS
72% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Cabernet Franc
Château Quintus is the 5th child within the Domaine Clarence Dillon family of wines. Its name is a tribute to the Gallo-Romans, creators of Saint-Emilion’s vineyards, who had the custom of naming their fifth child Quintus.
A perfect marriage between Merlot and Cabernet Franc, whereby the qualities of each grape variety are expressed to the full. This 2019 Quintus is clearly a tremendous success.
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