Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Oak notes dominate this in wine, with spice, toast and vanilla tones hovering over fruit. There is a sense of over extraction that is luckily mitigated by lively acidity. It needs time to balance out. Range: 91-93
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James Suckling
Pretty depth of fruit with firm and silky tannins. Full body, bright acidity and a clean finish. Chewy finish. Range: 91-92
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2014 Saint-Pierre 2014 was one of the surprises of the Saint Julien appellation, a wine that has blossomed throughout its élevage and in bottle to the point where it has overtaken its stablemate, the 2014 Château Gloria. It has a more floral bouquet: vibrant and energetic with fine mineralité. The palate is medium-bodied, a silver bead of acidity, energetic and intense with tobacco and graphite on the finish. For me, the Saint-Pierre has the upper hand this year and it should give two decade's worth of drinking pleasure.
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Wine Spectator
The fresh blackberry coulis and plum paste notes are laced with a dried star anise edge. Shows a hint of graphite on the finish. Barrel Sample: 89-92
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Decanter
Lovely fruit with vibrant flavours and a well-structured finish. This château has gained in elegance and depth recently and its 2014 is all in balance for a good future. Rating: 90+
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.
An icon of balance and tradition, St. Julien boasts the highest proportion of classed growths in the Médoc. What it lacks in any first growths, it makes up in the rest: five amazing second growth chateaux, two superb third growths and four well-reputed fourth growths. While the actual class rankings set in 1855 (first, second, and so on the fifth) today do not necessarily indicate a score of quality, the classification system is important to understand in the context of Bordeaux history. Today rivalry among the classed chateaux only serves to elevate the appellation overall.
One of its best historically, the estate of Leoville, was the largest in the Médoc in the 18th century, before it was divided into the three second growths known today as Chateau Léoville-Las-Cases, Léoville-Poyferré and Léoville-Barton. Located in the north section, these are stone’s throw from Chateau Latour in Pauillac and share much in common with that well-esteemed estate.
The relatively homogeneous gravelly and rocky top soil on top of clay-limestone subsoil is broken only by a narrow strip of bank on either side of the “jalle,” or stream, that bisects the zone and flows into the Gironde.
St. Julien wines are for those wanting subtlety, balance and consistency in their Bordeaux. Rewarding and persistent, the best among these Bordeaux Blends are full of blueberry, blackberry, cassis, plum, tobacco and licorice. They are intense and complex and finish with fine, velvety tannins.