Chateau La Vieille Cure 2012
-
Robert
Parker -
Wine
Spectator -
James
Suckling
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Blend: 75% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc, 3% Cabernet Sauvignon
Professional Ratings
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Arguably the bright, shining star of Fronsac these days, this blend of 75% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon from vines averaging 25 years of age seems to go from strength to strength. The 2012 is a knock-out, with an inky purple color and sweet cassis and kirsch notes as well as some licorice, mocha and earth. It is medium to full-bodied and concentrated, with silky tannins and a long, long finish. This is outrageously fine wine that sells for a song. It is a major sleeper of the vintage. Drink it over the next 10-12 years.
-
Wine Spectator
Fresh, with good cut, as cherry, cherry pit and plum notes race along, lined with violet and chalk accents. Tasted twice, with consistent notes.
Barrel Sample: 88-91 Points -
James Suckling
Ripe, sweet berries with some dried fruit and mushrooms. It’s full-bodied and chewy with plenty of tannins. A little dry at the end, but yummy. Merlot, Cabernet franc and Cabernet sauvignon.
Other Vintages
2022-
James
Suckling -
Jeb
Dunnuck - Decanter
-
Wine
Enthusiast
-
James
Suckling -
Robert
Parker
-
Robert
Parker -
James
Suckling -
Jeb
Dunnuck - Decanter
-
Wine
Spectator
-
James
Suckling -
Robert
Parker -
Jeb
Dunnuck -
Wine
Spectator
- Decanter
-
Jeb
Dunnuck -
James
Suckling -
Robert
Parker
-
Wine
Spectator -
James
Suckling -
Jeb
Dunnuck -
Robert
Parker - Decanter
-
Wine
Enthusiast
-
Jeb
Dunnuck - Decanter
-
James
Suckling -
Robert
Parker -
Wine
Spectator -
Wine
Enthusiast
-
Wine
Enthusiast -
James
Suckling -
Robert
Parker -
Jeb
Dunnuck -
Wine
Spectator - Decanter
-
Wine
Spectator -
Wilfred
Wong -
James
Suckling -
Jeb
Dunnuck -
Wine
Enthusiast
-
James
Suckling -
Robert
Parker -
Wine
Spectator
-
Wine
Spectator -
Robert
Parker
-
Wine
Enthusiast -
Robert
Parker -
Wine
Spectator
-
Robert
Parker
-
Robert
Parker
-
Robert
Parker -
Wine
Spectator
-
James
Suckling -
Robert
Parker
-
Robert
Parker
Château La Vieille Cure is a Bordeaux estate in the eastern Fronsac appellation. It makes a Merlot-dominant grand vin and second wine, blended with Cabernet Franc and small amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon. The château dates back to the 18th Century – it features on a prominent map of the region made in 1780. Wine production on the property has an even longer history with 17th Century parish records mentioning vineyards there.
The estate took its modern form when it was bought by Americans Peter Sachs and Colin Ferenbach in 1986. The duo built a new winery, replanted vines and enacted extensive renovations. La Vieille Cure stopped selling a portion of its wine in bulk to be sold under other labels and began exclusively estate bottling. Since the 1980s the wine went from being primarily sold regionally in Fronsac, to distribution in more than 25 countries.
The vineyard covers 20 hectares (50 acres) and, uncommonly for Bordeaux, is a single large plot. It is planted on a limestone plateau above the Dordogne river near Libourne. The landscape includes southwest exposed hills of chalk and clay sub-soils. The grapes are mechanically destemmed, hand-sorted, with maceration lasting three to four weeks. Fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, while malolactic fermentation takes place in barrel.