Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Very fine tannins and pretty fruit for this wine with medium to full body and a fresh finish. 50% merlot and 50% cabernet sauvignon. Barrel Sample: 91-92 points.
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2015 Château de Chantegrive is another killer value in 2015 and is based on equal parts Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Loaded with notions of caramelized cherries, tobacco, truffle, and a hint of earth, this beauty hits the palate with a ripe, sexy, opulent style carrying polished tannin and plenty of length. Drink it anytime over the coming decade.
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.
Famous for both its red and white wines, Graves is a large region, extending 30 miles southeast of the city of Bordeaux, along the left bank of the Garonne River. Red wine producing vineyards cover well over three times as much area as the whites. In the late 1980s, the French created the separate appellation of Pessac-Léognan within the northern confines of Graves. It includes all of its most famous properties, and the southern suburbs of the city Bordeaux itself. In French "graves" is a term used to indicate gravelly soils.