Pierre Barbe
Chateau Font Merlet, Bordeaux Supérieur 2016
$19
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Medium bodied, smoked dark cherries and plums, gives up ample notes of a 18 month aging in oak, jammy berry fruits, the 10% of Cabernet Sauvignon add extra chewiness. Natural fermentation. A fantastic price for the region. Only Celerier's Cellar sells this wine in the USA.
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13.50%
25 average
Certified HVE. Double Guyot pruning in winter, 2 canes 2 cétes, 4 buds per cane which is half of tradictional (optimize natural concentration of nutriments with lower yield). Mechanical plowing 1 row out of two, grass on 1 row out of 2, Density 5,000 pieds hectares for stress (2x more thant Bordeaux Superieur and like Médoc, stress the vine to push them to grow roots deeper for better nutriments), 90% Merlot, 10% cabernet Sauvignon, defoliation only on year that are cold humid, not on warm vintage, and on big yield vintage (against rot). 2011 and 2012 defoliation. Treatment far lower than HVE requirements, no CMR synthetic, mechanical harvest with newest technology that allows reactive swift harvest in the best condition such as cold morning. Helps prevent contamination by preventing any contact with other vegetal part. All is set up for waiting until the last inute to harvest at peack maturity in cold condition.
destemmed when harvested, tank are divided by grape varietal and ages of parcels, cold maceration pre fermantation for 2-3 days in stainless steel tank to extract more flavors. Natural alcoholic fermentation with indegeous yeast. Temperature rise naturally in tanks, starts intensive pump over 5 to 8 hours a days to concentrate, extract tannins and colors and help maintaining temperature at 28° throught alcoholic fermentation for 12 to 15 days. Pierre add 12 days maceration post fermentation with must to extract even more and tanins. Then settling. Then, malolactic fermentation starts at its own pace in stainless steel for over 6 month. That helps clear the wine more. Aged 18 month total including 9 month in 20% new French oak barrels. Blend in the cabernet sauvignon and merlot right before bottling. Some vintage, no clarification process required because wines aged for 2 winters that allows better settling and natural settling.
Red Bordeaux blend
Merlot 90%, Cabernet Sauvignon 10%
10,000 cases
Bordeaux
2012 vintage delivered optimal maturity but also a challenge right before the harvest. Some quick light rain in hot temperature (tropical climate) could have created rot. Pierre had to be very reactive and was thankfull to have efficient machineries for havesting promptly in the best conditions. His harvest were done in 2 days while other takes 2 weeks. These neighbors faced unfortunate consequences unlike Pierre.
Bordeaux, France
2 parcel : Montussan village, clay and gravel on top of a clay and limestone soile. Verres Village, famous "Gravel of Verres" fine gravel from Jurassic time.
2012