Our new Personal Choice St Estèphe comes from Château de Pez – a historic vineyard with a fast-growing popularity. Right here, Bordeaux Purchaser Georgina Haacke tells us extra.
What’s it?
Our 2020 St Estèphe is a brand new addition to our Personal Choice. It has been made for us by Château de Pez, a property of accelerating renown.
Inform us about Château de Pez.
Château de Pez is a 42-hectare property perched within the north-west of St Estèphe, essentially the most northerly of the Médoc’s 4 well-known communes. The château takes its identify from the closest hamlet, although you’ll see the identify “Pez”, which implies “peace” in previous native dialect, repeated all through the St Estèphe appellation. (The Cazes household of Château Lynch-Bages additionally personal Château Ormes de Pez, for instance.) The property sits on a plateau, comparatively excessive for the Médoc, on well-drained gravel soils interspersed with clay and limestone subsoils.
The property can hint its historical past again to 1452, rating it among the many older of Bordeaux’s châteaux. It lay considerably within the shadows, nevertheless, till 1995, when it was bought by Champagne Louis Roederer. Recognising its potential, the brand new house owners started working, rejuvenating the winery on a plot-by-plot foundation, guaranteeing that the vines are nicely matched to the soil sorts. This laid the foundations for the château’s terroir method to winemaking.
The proficient Nicolas Glumineau joined the Louis Roederer staff in 2012. He took over administration and winemaking tasks right here in addition to on the prestigious Pauillac property Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande (usually known as Château Pichon Comtesse, to not be confused with its neighbour Château Pichon Baron). Nicolas continues to handle, vinify and style every of Pez’s 70 winery plots in isolation. He believes wholeheartedly within the significance of terroir, and {that a} actually nice wine begins within the winery.
What does the wine style like?
There may be beautiful energy to this wine. It has nice succulence, with loads of plump main fruits. However there’s additionally a agency spine of tannins that marks it out as a St Estèphe. The wines of St Estèphe have generally been recognized for his or her austerity, due partially to the appellation’s cooler local weather; being situated extra northerly than St Julien or Margaux, it’s extra vulnerable to Atlantic influences.
There may be nothing austere about this wine, nevertheless. It most actually has construction and darkish, brooding fruits with a smoky edge, however there’s additionally freshness and steadiness. This makes it a delight to drink now, 4 years after the classic, however you can additionally cellar this for 5 and even 10 extra years.
What ought to I eat with it?
Our new St Estèphe is an excellent meals wine. It will pair nicely with most red-meat dishes, or actually something that’s hearty and savoury. Strive it with a winter stew or a porcini and wild mushroom lasagne.
How ought to I serve it?
If timing permits, I’d open this an hour or so earlier than serving. If that’s not potential, a fast decant would additionally work – simply sufficient to aerate the wine and permit the fruit flavours to totally categorical themselves.
You should buy our 2020 St Estèphe right here.
