Winemaker Notes
An elegant wine with aromas of black fruits, spices and cocoa. The attack is silky in the mouth, rich and ample with nice roundness and generous tannins. The finish is long with lovely aromas of cherries and currants. The vines are cultivated organically and adhere to a gentle vinification to extract the very intense aromas of this terroir. With long macerations and oak aging for 12 months in French oak, 35% of which are new.
Blend: 80% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
This is spiced and savory with dark berries, dried citrus rind, dried herbs and wet earth. Medium body. Creamy, mouth-coating tannins with a chalky texture and flavorful finish. Drink or hold.
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Wine Enthusiast
This estate, owned by the heirs of Gustave Eiffel (of the tower fame), is situated in a small appellation on the west side of the Dordogne River facing Fronsac. The wine is richly structured and texture, its black fruits, dominated by Cabernet Franc, spicy and generous. It is likely to be ready from 2025.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
Graves de Vayres, located in the Entre-Deux-Mers region, is recognized as the second-oldest appellation in the Bordeaux area (see gravesdevayres.com). The 2020 Chateau Bel-Air Eiffel is generous and lasting on the palate. This wine exhibits aromas and flavors of fragrant spices, early summer blackberries, and pleasant notes of sandalwood. Enjoy it with roast duck topped with berry glaze. (Tasted: March 5, 2025, San Francisco, CA)
In most of France, wines are named by their place of origin and not by the type of grape (with the exception of Alsace). Just like a red Burgundy is by law, always made of Pinot noir, a red Bordeaux is a blended wine composed mainly of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Depending on the laws of the village from which the grapes come, the conditions of the vintage and decisions of the winemaker, the blend can be further supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot and in rare cases, Carmenere. So popular and repeated has this mix of grape varieties become worldwide, that the term, Bordeaux Blend, refers to a wine blended in this style, regardless of origin.
MST14658_20_2020 Item# 2813232