Winemaker Notes
Expressive nose with notes of ripe fruit. A full attack with a present mid-palate. Nice finish
with a good length.
Blend: 79% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Franc
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Fruity nose with plenty of cherries, bay leaves, dark chocolate and a hint of nutmeg. Juicy and polished on the palate with a medium body and a juicy, medium-long finish.
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Decanter
A brooding nose, before chewy tannins - which are immediately noticeable - fill the mouth with ripe fruit, but they have a nice delicacy and texture, too - almost comforting and totally harmonious once the initial texture settles, leaving a density of creamy blackcurrant and sweet strawberry. Lovely cooling elements on the finish - mint and eucalyptus. This displays structure, life, tannic power, fruit density, freshness and acidity. It's on the more overt side but extremely captivating and excellent overall. Tasted twice. Michel Rolland consultancy.
Barrel Sample: 92 -
Jeb Dunnuck
The 2021 Château Pierre 1Er does exceptionally well in the vintage, with good ripeness, medium body, and nicely integrated, ripe tannins. More red fruit-driven, it has some classic tobacco and chalky minerality, background oak, and outstanding length. While it already offers pleasure, it will benefit from just a few years in the cellar and easily evolve over the following 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.
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.