Chateau Pedesclaux Pauillac 2016

Jacky, Francoise and Manon Lorenzetti work together, as a family, and the atmosphere they have created on their estate is both rigorous and convivial. They cultivate the love of work done well, making clear their respect for the land in their care and for the men who work it. Their values are clear, and are shared by everyone who works there. There is an ethical framework and a devotion to excellence and continuity at the heart of this family collaboration that are, without a doubt, key contributors to the wines' growing reputation.

France

13

9.8

45% Merlot, 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc

2016 is the first vintage in the history of Chateau Pedesclaux to combine the 4 grape varieties in itsblend. Intense velvety red color, with a complex nose of unique depth, with notes of blackberry jam, fleshy Burlat cherry, mint and salted butter caramel blend with rhubarb to express a fresh nose.The body is ample and delightful, smooth and sensual, yet keeps being dense. It offers a palatable and salivating texture, backed by notes of spices, licorice, roasted hazelnuts reminiscent of the biscuits just out of the oven. The expression of wild berries mixed with wild rose brings the vivacity necessary for a good balance.

The Chateau was founded in 1810 by winebroker Pierre Urbain Pedesclaux, who passed it to his son Pierre-Edmond in 1849. After death of the latter his widow continued to run the Chateau until 1891, when the estate was sold to the Count de Gastebois.[1] In 1930, Lucien Jugla became tenant, and eventually purchased the Chateau in 1950. In 1960, Lucien Jugla added Chateau Belle-Rose, a 13.7-hectare estate which he had been farming since 1943, to Pedesclaux. Belle-Rose's bourgeois building became the home of the classified growth and appeared on the new labels. In 2009, the estate was purchased by Jacky Lorenzetti, who also owns Chateau Lilian Ladouys in Saint-Estephe and 50% of Chateau d'Issan in Margaux.[2] Lorenzetti enlarged the vineyards with the purchase of 12 hectares of Medoc vines that are situated next to parcels owned by Chateau Lafite Rothschild and Chateau Mouton Rothschild. [3]

2016

2016 is the third vintage designed in our gravity cellar: the harvest -picked up in small crates- is cooled down in a cold room for 24 hours, before being transported by elevator up to sorting tables. After selection, the grapes are delicately deposited in rolling cuvons that will pour them into truncated conical tanks. Each tank is adapted to the size of each plot. Pre-fermentation maceration is a stage that allows aromas and color to diffuse smoothly. Afterwards, fermentation is ready to take place, at temperatures that will favor a slow extraction, for an intense expression of the fruits. A long vatting will follow, in order to harmonize the whole. The wine will then be gravity-fed into new barrels (50%) and barrels of a wine (50%), long heated to heart.The wines from this generous vintage remind us of Bordeaux's great classic of 1990: They are very well built. Merlots are dense, with a deep color. Their generosity and alcohol levels are perfectly balanced with a prominent acidity, presaging a superb aging potential. The Cabernets Sauvignons are racy, built on length and tension. They express a complex aromatic palette, leading us think they will most likely be part of the blend for the Primary wine. The Petits Verdots are very woven, powerful and spicy.

Chateau Pedesclaux

Emmanuel Cruse