Paulliac french wines - edencroft fine wines

France - Bordeaux - Paulliac

It is said that Pauillac was created by the river. Without its extraordinary soils, however, the appellation would never have inherited such a magnificent and centuries-old reputation.

From the bronze axe to the glass bottle, Pauillac lives to the pace of the tides: From high antiquity, Pauillac, focused on the river, established a flourishing port activity initially based on trading bronze. As a fantastic centre of exchange, the appellation lived to the pace of landings and exports with a booming bustle of maritime activity which served to form the most skilful and most experienced sailors for miles around.

The first vines appeared in the middle of the 13th century. The vineyards were progressively extended up to the 18th century, a key period marking the start of massive vine-growing in the Médoc. Subsequent development came fast and furious. New wineries sprang up, techniques were improved. It was the great leap forward.

Pauillac naturally became the leading port for Médoc wines, the gateway for the entire production. The early 19th century saw the arrival of merchants and brokers and with them the commercial golden age of Pauillac wines.

Pauillac has adopted the harmonious curves of a stunningly sculpted mermaid: If Pauillac wines are so sought after on the export markets it is because at each encounter they enable wine lovers to discover a little more of their complexity without revealing all the secrets of their felicitous combination of strength and delicacy. Each sip is a new sensorial adventure, captivating connoisseurs by both the fine, aristocratic texture and the powerful body of the tannins. Draped in a magnificent silky ruby red colour shot through with amber with the passage of time, a Pauillac wine calls for patience and only gradually unveils its character and its delicious, complex bouquet.

The Pauillac appellation, which saw the birth of numerous Grands Crus Classés in 1855, is the dream destination for all lovers of great wines.

Voyage to the heart of mysterious flavours: If Pauillac wines are so sought after on the export markets it is because at each encounter they enable wine lovers to discover a little more of their complexity without revealing all the secrets of their felicitous combination of strength and delicacy. Each sip is a new sensorial adventure, captivating connoisseurs by both the fine, aristocratic texture and the powerful body of the tannins. Draped in a magnificent silky ruby red colour shot through with amber with the passage of time, a Pauillac wine calls for patience and only gradually unveils its character and its delicious, complex bouquet.

The Pauillac appellation, which saw the birth of numerous Grands Crus Classés in 1855, is the dream destination for all lovers of great wines.

1999, Chateau Larrivet-Haut-Brion.

Bin No

EN6320

Size

75cl

Price

£45.00

In light of the special nature of the soil, manager Philippe Gervoson does everything in his power to adapt his wine growing to the terroir, using the methods applied by the region’s great estates. The grapes are hand picked as late as possible for maximum ripeness and carefully sorted before crushing. In 1996 Philippe decided to take another step towards greater quality by employing well known oenologist Michel Rolland. The red wine is macerated on its skins in order to extract as much fruit as possible from the grapes. It is then aged in oak barrels a proportion of which are renewed each year.

Good colour, with a rich fat gently oaky nose. The wine is medium to full bodied, and is round ripe and very attractive. The finish is long persistent and vigorous.

2003, Prelude à Grand Puy Ducasse.

Bin No

EN6320

Size

75cl

Price

£30.00

Arnaud Ducasse purchased a small house along the Gironde estuary from Jacques de Ségur, Lord of Lafite, in the mid – 17th century. He cannot have known that this would become the heart of a large estate that we stay in his family for nearly three generations. This chateau is highly unusual in design in that is located in the heart of Pauillac. Included in the famous 1855 classification, and benefiting from the rich diversity of some of the finest land in Pauillac, Grand Puy Ducasse is one of the leading lights of the appellation.

Grape Varieties: 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot.

Tasting Note: The wine exhibits a dense, almost opaque colour with deep cherry and tobacco elegance on the nose.

The palate is up-front with sweet ripe fruit and touches of spice. It has a gorgeous chewy and well-endowed plush texture. Pure, complex and interesting.

2004, Chateau Grand Puy Ducasse "5eme Cru Classe Pauillac".

Bin No

EN2981

Size

75cl

Price

£45.00

Grape Varieties: 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot.

Food Matching Note: East meets west cuisine always works well, fine red meat examples such as: hibiscus-marinated leg of lamb, oriental lamb steaks, can be found, or a simple but hearty dish such as beef medallions in red wine sauce, work perfectly.

Tasting Note: Exhibits a dense, almost opaque colour with gorgeous up-front, sweet, ripe fruit. The palate is medium to full bodied and chewy with a well endowed, plush texture. The wine is pure, complex and engaging.

Vinification Note: The estate totals 59 hectares of which 40 are under vine. The grapes are entirely hand picked and sorting tables are set up in the vineyards. In the vat room there is a second grape reception system where the grapes are again sorted by hand. The grapes are de-stemmed and lightly crushed before fermentation in stainless steel vats. Grapes from different plots are fermented separately, and winemaking temperatures are carefully controlled. The wine is aged in oak from 18 – 24 months according to the vintage with 30 - 40% new each year.