St Estèphe...
History: Whereas the first activity recorded
in Saint-Estèphe goes back as far as the Middle Bronze Age, the
first vines date from the Roman Occupation. But it was the
Bordeaux merchants who by ageing and selling Saint-Estèphe wines
themselves were largely responsible for this appellation's fame.
And in the nineteenth century, noted for its prosperity, the
great estates of today were created. The movement continues
today with the merging of small estates.
Terroir: A land of great wines, Saint-Estèphe
is situated almost in the centre of the Médoc, close to the
Gironde Estuary. The appellation is equidistant from Bordeaux
and the Pointe de Grave.
The beds of soil are characterized by their remarkable
diversity, the result of their undulating relief and excellent
drainage. Quartz and well-rounded pebbles mingled with light,
sandy surface soil are found everywhere, giving the wines a
distinctive finesse. And the subsoil is made up of the famous
Saint-Estèphe limestone, which outcrops on the west of the
commune.
Tasting: Thanks to ideal conditions of
climate and geology, Saint-Estèphe wines are characterized by
their sturdy qualities and robust constitution. Accordingly,
they can be laid down for a very long time while yet preserving
their youth and freshness. Distinguished by a subsoil which is
more clayey than that in the other communal appellations which
lie by the river, the wine here attains a distinctive
individuality : a very rich tannic structure, a fine deep red colour and an exceptional backbone with aromas of great finesse.
|
La Croix
Bonis 2002 |
|
Bin No |
PARA/024 |
Size |
1 x 75cl |
Price |
£15.95 |
|
La Croix Bonis comes
from a selection of top quality vineyards in Saint-Estèphe, mainly
planted to Cabernet Sauvignon. Under the ownership of the Gardinier
family, the ongoing ambition has been to make great wine from the
Saint-Estèphe vineyard and La Croix Bonis has a deserved reputation
as one of the appellation area’s best wines. |
|
Château de
Pez Cru Bourgeois Exceptional 2003 |
|
Bin No |
MMD-081 |
Size |
1 x 75cl |
Price |
£28.35 |
|
 Introduction: The
domain of Pez, created in the 15th century, is, with Calon Ségur,
one of the oldest in Saint-Estèphe. In 1452, Squire Jean de Briscos
ruled the estate followed in time by Jean de Pontac in 1585. The
Pontac family, who also created Haut-Brion, gave Pez its vineyards.
The property remained in the hands of their descendents until the
French Revolution after which it was sold as a property of the
State. When Louis Roederer bought it in 1995 they immediately set
about improving the vineyards and cellars. 1996 was the first
vintage fully made under the new ownership, and quality has been
improving ever since.
Grape
Varieties: 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Merlot, 8% Cabernet
Franc, 3% Petit Verdot.
Tasting Notes
Appearance: Lovely, fairly sustained colour with light
crimson highlights and subtle orangey tones suggesting the
beginnings of evolution.
Colour: Lovely,
fairly sustained colour with light crimson highlights and subtle
orangey tones suggesting the beginnings of evolution.
Nose: Very fruity
initially, then after a brief airing reveals traces of lush, ripe
fruits (cherries and morello cherries) mingled with aromas of toast
and Virginia tobacco.
Palate: Elegant
and supple with a rounded, supple attack. Impressive, fairly
tight-grained tannins but with the softness to be expected from such
a hot vintage. The alcohol content creates an impression of fatness,
leaving the palate with an unusually ‘sweet’ sensation. The finish
is so wonderfully rounded that you could easily mistake this for a
wine from a hot terroir if you did not know otherwise. Rather
atypical in style, but with that immense framework characteristic of
a great Médoc. |
|
Château
Haut-Beauséjour Cru Bourgeois 2004 |
|
Bin No |
MMD-082 |
Size |
1 x 75cl |
Price |
£15.95 |
|
 Introduction: In 1992,
the Louis Roederer group acquired and combined two Cru Bourgeois
vineyards in the heart of St Estèphe: Château Picard and Château
Beauséjour.
Together these properties make up what is now called
Château Haut-Beauséjour. The 19 hectares of vineyards consist of
several separate blocks of vines with a mix of soil types.
Grape
Varieties: 52% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot,
3% Côt.
Tasting Notes
Appearance: Lovely dense, deep red colour.
Nose: Very
fruit-forward, lush red fruits on the nose mixing with hints of
spice and toastiness.
Palate: Lively on
the palate with all the verve and structure that great St. Estèphe
are known for. The tannins still have quite a rasp but they are
surrounded by enough flesh and fat to sustain an impression of
fullness. The wine shows harmoniously as it evolves, tinged with
toasty notes of wood and ripe red fruit. All the class and
refinement of a true St. Estèphe. |
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