Château Pavie has diverse terroirs. Terroir typical of the Saint Emilion limestone plateau composed of clay-limestone soil on an asteriated limestone subsoil. Located at an altitude of approximately 85 metres above the Dordogne River - Terroir called “milieu de côte” (middle of the slope) located approximately 55 metres above the ... more
Although most of the appellation is planted with Merlot (which is ideal for limestone soils), and to a lesser extent Cabernet Franc, Chateau Figeac uses completely different proportions of grape varieties on account of its fine gravelly soil: 70% Cabernet (half Cabernet Franc, half Cabernet Sauvignon) and only 30 % ... more
Powerful, without aggressiveness, spherical, silky, always with elegance and breed, a core of Cabernet Franc enveloped with Merlot, the wine of Cheval Blanc approaches the style of a Pomerol without quite resembling a Saint Emilion. With its freshness and cashmere-soft tannins, it ages marvellously, expressing the effect of its terroir, ... more
This reputable Estate has a history that dates back to the mid-18th century. Jean-Pierre Moueix first acquired the property in 1952 and focused his efforts to restore the vineyard to its deserved glory. The property has recently undergone a major restoration of the buildings as well as an important renovation ... more
From a less than noble terroir in Saint-Sulpice de Faleyrens, Gerard Perse has accomplished miraculous things at Monbousquet. Prior to his acquisition of this property in the mid-nineties, this wine tasted like watered-down Beaujolais, but Perse has turned it into one of the more stunning, modern-styled wines of Bordeaux. A ... more
An in-your-face style of wine, the 2005 Fombrauge (the largest vineyard in St.-Emilion) is a blend of 77% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. The inky/purple color is followed by a big, sweet nose of chocolate fudge, jammy black cherries, blackberries, smoke, and pain grille. This chewy, ... more
Ripeness shows on the nose, a rich mix of black and red fruits backed by black truffle and savory flavors. There is power on the palate yet a flowing elegance, all so well balanced. The tannins are ripe and rounded yet do give structure and there is hidden fruit behind ... more
There are approximately 500 cases of the second wine, the 2005 La Chapelle d’Ausone, which makes a mockery of many grand vins produced at this estate in the fifties, sixties, and seventies. Made in the style of its bigger sibling, it possesses a deep ruby/purple color as well as a ... more
L’Hermitage, one of the original garagiste estates, is a blend of 65% Merlot and 35% Cabernet Franc from a small 9-acre site sandwiched between such titans of St.-Emilion as Beausejour-Duffau and Angelus. The 2005 is typically pure, medium to full-bodied, opulent, and showy, with more elegance (largely because of its ... more
