Chateau d'Aiguilhe 2018
-
Suckling
James - Decanter
-
Enthusiast
Wine -
Dunnuck
Jeb -
Parker
Robert
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Blend: 80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc
Professional Ratings
-
James Suckling
The purity of fruit to this is really attractive with blue fruit, blackberries and flowers on the nose and palate. Medium-bodied with fine tannin's, a solid core of fruit and a long, attractive finish. Drink in 2022 and onwards.
-
Decanter
Austere, textbook limestone flavours given a plump mid palate by damson and black cherry fruits. Owned by Stephan von Neipperg. Drinking Window 2023 - 2036
-
Wine Enthusiast
Under the same ownership as Canon la Gaffelière in Saint-Emilion, this estate has produced a powerfully rich wine, with tannins cushioned by dense black-plum flavors. Rich in structure and driven by fruit, the wine will age well. Drink from 2023.
-
Jeb Dunnuck
Readers looking for a beautiful Bordeaux that's not going to break the bank should check out the 2018 Château D'Auguilhe. Coming from the cooler Castillon region to the east of Saint-Emilion, this beauty offers a terrific perfume of ripe black raspberries, cherries, roasted herbs, sweet mulch, and spring flowers. It has a fresh, crunchy quality to its fruit, nicely integrated acidity, ripe yet present tannins, and the class to keep for 10-15 years.
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2018 d'Aiguilhe jumps up out of the glass with exuberant notes of plum preserves, Black Forest cake and blackberry pie, plus hints of potpourri, hoisin and forest floor. The medium to full-bodied palate has a soft texture and oodles of freshness supporting the mouth-coating black fruit preserves, finishing with loads of exotic spice layers.
Other Vintages
2022- Decanter
-
Dunnuck
Jeb -
Suckling
James
-
Dunnuck
Jeb -
Suckling
James -
Parker
Robert - Decanter
-
Dunnuck
Jeb - Decanter
-
Suckling
James -
Parker
Robert -
Spectator
Wine
-
Suckling
James -
Parker
Robert - Decanter
-
Dunnuck
Jeb -
Spectator
Wine
-
Spectator
Wine -
Parker
Robert -
Enthusiast
Wine -
Suckling
James -
Dunnuck
Jeb
-
Spectator
Wine -
Suckling
James -
Parker
Robert -
Dunnuck
Jeb - Decanter
-
Spectator
Wine -
Enthusiast
Wine -
Dunnuck
Jeb - Decanter
Acquired by Stephan von Neipperg at the end of 1998, Château d’Aiguilhe is one of the most beautiful estates in the Castillon - Côtes de Bordeaux. The existing building, a sort of fortified farm, dates from the 13th century. Everything leads us to believe that the Aiguilhe seigneury covered a very large tract of land in the Middle Age, encompassing several important fiefs. Located on the border between French-controlled and English-controlled areas during the Hundred Years’ War, the Château played a major military role.
Today, the estates covers 111 hectares, of which 50 are devoted to winegrowing.
The vines (80% Merlot - 20% Cabernet Franc) grow uniquely on the upper part of the slope, where they find excellent natural drainage and south-facing sun exposure. The thin layer of relatively meagre clay-limestone and clay-silt soil covers a limestone substratum that provides wonderful water regulation. These natural advantages, combined with old vines, are conducive to producing powerful and mineral wines.
The estate is expertly managed by Jean-Patrick Meyrignac. It benefits from the tried and tested winegrowing methods used by Stephan von Neipperg at his Saint-Emilion estates: letting the terroir express itself fully, low yields and a very flexible approach to winemaking.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
Though the region is larger than many of its Right Bank neighbors, it is one that consistently produces high quality, well-valued red wines. In fact, Cotes de Castillon can almost be considered a geographical eastern extension of St. Emilion, producing similarly-fashioned reds based on Merlot.
Vineyards in the region’s clay, limestone and sandstone soils produce sturdy red wines. On alluvial terraces, in vineyards closer to the Dordogne River, wines tend to be more supple and fruity. In either case, a great Cotes de Castillon red will be bursting with raspberry, plum and blueberry, have an enticing bouquet of dried flowers and a finish that is plush and opulent.