Chateau Belair-Monange 2015

A Saint-Emilion with Densely Layered Tannins and a Pure Finish

The winemaking history at Chateau Belair-Monange goes back to well before the French Revolution. It was, nevertheless, in 2008, with the acquisition of the estate by the Moueix family, that its true Renaissance began. Christian Moueix, along with his son Edouard, have made several remarkable improvements to the quality of the wine, by means of drastically reducing yields, harvesting at a later date, and investing in brand new technologies (e.g.: optical sorting equipment) at the winery. Chateau Belair-Monange bears the title of Premier Grand Cru Classe of Saint-Emilion and the property includes a total of 23.5 hectares (58 acres) of vines, out of which 14 hectares are under production. The vineyards are planted with 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. Chateau Belair-Monange expresses in each sip a juxtapositon of the estate's two distinct but complementary terroirs: its limestone plateau and blue clay soils upon limestone slopes. This combination of fruit from different soil types lends a greater level of nuance to the finished wines. The manual harvest at the estate is carried out with a primary manual sorting in the vineyard, followed by an optical sorting at the winery. The grapes are vinified in thermoregulated vats of stainless steel and concrete, and special attention is paid to achieve a very gentle maceration and extraction. The wine spends from 16 to 18 months maturing in French oak barrels, of which 50% are new.

The Chateau Belair-Monange 2015 blends 88% Merlot with 12% Cabernet Franc. Deep purple/ruby in the glass, this Saint-Emilion offers a powerful nose of blackcurrants, crushed black plums and blackberry preserves, mingling with nuances of grilled meat, fallen leaves and tobacco. The tannins are densely layered and quite fine, but will take at least a few more years to soften enough for the wine to reveal its full personality. The finish here is long and pure, with the freshness of limestone clearly represented. Drink 2022-2035