Winemaker Notes
Gourmet nose with notes of small red fruits dominated by blackcurrant and cherry. In mouth, elegant tannins which underline this aromatic expression with great finesse. A nice balance and a length supported by a nice freshness and sour notes.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
A powerfully rich wine from an estate that is seriously improved. The wine's black-plum fruits and firm tannins are full of potential. This is a wine to age. Drink from 2027.
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James Suckling
Refined nose showing delicate sweet berries, white pepper spice, cigar box and cocoa powder. Elegant, bone-dry and linear on the palate with a medium body and pretty silky tannins. Not a wine for the depth of flavors or intensity. Finesse, delicacy and length are the key words. Already delicious, but can hold, too.
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Decanter
Nicely fragrant and perfumed on the nose with blackcurrants and bramble berries. An instant splash of just ripe red and black fruit - tart strawberries and cherries - makes the mouth water before being replaced by salt-edged tannins that leave a slightly grainy, but pleasant, texture in the mouth. Lingering elements of vanilla, black chocolate, graphite and touches of liquorice accent the finish though in a savoury rather than spiced way. Nicely balanced and not trying too hard. Soft, gently filling and elegant.
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Vinous
The 2021 Chauvin has an open and inviting bouquet, with blackberry, wild hedgerow and cedar scents that gain vigor with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, a fine bead of acidity and a harmonious finish, albeit relatively lighter compared to recent vintages. This will drink well for 15 years or so. –Neal Martin
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2021 Château Chauvin brings solid ripeness in its red, blue, and black fruits as well as subtle background oak, tobacco, and crushed stone-like minerality. It's medium-bodied and nicely balanced, with fine tannins and a good finish.
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.
Marked by its historic fortified village—perhaps the prettiest in all of Bordeaux, the St-Émilion appellation, along with its neighboring village of Pomerol, are leaders in quality on the Right Bank of Bordeaux. These Merlot-dominant red wines (complemented by various amounts of Cabernet Franc and/or Cabernet Sauvignon) remain some of the most admired and collected wines of the world.
St-Émilion has the longest history in wine production in Bordeaux—longer than the Left Bank—dating back to an 8th century monk named Saint Émilion who became a hermit in one of the many limestone caves scattered throughout the area.
Today St-Émilion is made up of hundreds of independent farmers dedicated to the same thing: growing Merlot and Cabernet Franc (and tiny amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon). While always roughly the same blend, the wines of St-Émilion vary considerably depending on the soil upon which they are grown—and the soils do vary considerably throughout the region.
The chateaux with the highest classification (Premier Grand Cru Classés) are on gravel-rich soils or steep, clay-limestone hillsides. There are only four given the highest rank, called Premier Grand Cru Classés A (Chateau Cheval Blanc, Ausone, Angélus, Pavie) and 14 are Premier Grand Cru Classés B. Much of the rest of the vineyards in the appellation are on flatter land where the soils are a mix of gravel, sand and alluvial matter.
Great wines from St-Émilion will be deep in color, and might have characteristics of blackberry liqueur, black raspberry, licorice, chocolate, grilled meat, earth or truffles. They will be bold, layered and lush.