Chateau Marquis de Terme 2009

A complex and fruity Margaux red wine

The estate

The Château Marquis de Terme proudly rests in the heart of the Margaux appellation, on the left bank of Bordeaux. The origins of this vineyard date back to the 15th century, but the estate took on its current name in the 18th century when the Marquis de Terme took over the running of the estate. Since 1935, the Sénéclauze family has owned this estate, a true reference among the great Margaux wines.

The vineyard

Château Marquis de Terme’s 38-hectare vineyard is planted on deep gravel soils, a typical feature of the Margaux appellation, made up of thick quartz and quartzite. Some plots are more clayey. The vineyard is 35 years old on average and is managed in a plot-by-plot manner, with a respect for the environment.

The vintage

Relatively cold, the winter months alternated between frosts and mild temperatures. Although the spring rainfall favoured the development of the vines, it also led to phytosanitary pressure, doubling the team’s efforts. Although the stormy episode on May 11th affected half of the estate's Merlot vines, the mild weather in May and June was ideal and ensured an early and relatively even flowering period. The summer was marked by periods shifting between sunshine and rain, slowing down the development of the vineyard despite a good veraison. Then, the Indian summer as the harvest approached was perfect and refined the ripening process. The harvested grapes led to the production of a rich wine with a fruity aromatic palette.

The vinification and ageing

Plot selection. Manual harvesting. Rigorous sorting in the vineyard and in the cellar in order to keep only the best quality grapes. Vatting by gravity without pumping. Vinification in temperature-controlled concrete tanks. Aged for 16 to 18 months in French oak barrels, 50% of which are new.

The blend

Cabernet Sauvignon (65%)

Merlot (34%)

Petit verdot (6%).