We can never say it enough: the Bordeaux region has everything needed to produce wines in the spirit of the times. Elegant and bright wines, to drink young and fresh, far from the muscular caricatures that some have wanted to impose on us for years.
If there is one estate that imposes this credo as a style of winemaking, it is Château Penin in Genissac, near Bordeaux, in the heart of Entre-deux-Mers. Patrick Carteyron likes purity in the wines, with a lot of fruit; wines that we want to share, that’s a fact. And when he dares to age his wines in barrels, he never deviates from his philosophy of drinkability.
Here, there is no taste of industrial “woody notes”, but rather a wonderful harmony between the smoothness of the oak, the aromas of ripe grapes, and a hint of smoke.
“Les Cailloux” cuvée is in a way at the top of the list in Château Penin’s range. A stony soil, nearly 50 centimetres of stones lying on a clay limestone soil, which brings roundness and sweetness to the Merlot grape variety which is the only component of this cuvée. Next comes 12 months spent maturing in barrels, including six months on lees, a rather delicate technique which can quickly go to hell if the process is not properly controlled.
All this leads us to a lively Bordeaux, capable of ageing for a good ten years, with the softness of Merlot on clay and the spicy aromas and ripe black fruits of the stony soils. In short, an almost irrepressible call for a grilled beef steak.
Château Penin – Bordeaux Supérieur – Les Cailloux – 2015
Slightly cocoa, but also blackberry, blueberry, spices for a smooth woody taste, a complex and fresh bouquet. Smooth, round palate with beautiful firm and long tannins on the finish, which require a little protein (beef) to soften. Pleasure and delicacy with a medium ageing potential. 91/100
CARTEYRON CARTEYRON VIGNOBLES CHATEAU PENIN
33420 GENISSAC
Tel: 05 57 57 24 24 46 98 98
E-mail: vignoblescarteyron@orange.fr
Website: www.chateaupenin.com
