Chateau Peyfaures 2011

A Bordeaux Superieur Accessible in its Youth

The Bordeaux Superieur Chateau Peyfaures was founded in 1830 in the small hamlet Genissac to the east of the Entre-deux-Mers area, just across the Dordogne River from the Saint-Emilion and Pomerol appellations. The chateau vines grow in clay-limestone soils and are treated carefully with organic and biodynamic practices. The Chateau Peyfaures team focuses on Merlot, the flagship grape of the estate, blended together with some Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. The signature style of Peyfaures echoes a return to the traditional winemaking practices of Bordeaux. The fruit is gently crushed in a traditional basket press, followed by spontaneous fermentation with autochthonous yeasts only. The team practices a minimal intervention, plot-by-plot winemaking in order to allow the terroir to express itself to the fullest. The oaking program (proportion of new oak and length of aging) is carefully adjusted to each vintage.

The Chateau Peyfaures 2011 is a vintage that truly demonstrates the skill of the estate's winemaker who, despite climatic challenges, managed to produce a charming, richly textured wine. The harvest of 2011 was characterized by lower yields and a more selective sorting, resulting in a lower overall quantity of wine produced, though the quality was unaffected. The blend comprises 95% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine was aged in French oak barrels (of which 1/3 was new) for a period of 15 months. On the palate, this gorgeous Bordeaux Superieur reveals very lacy, delicate tannins and a bright natural acidity on layered aromas of cassis, dried flower petals and earthy mushrooms. This is a wine that is quite approachable in its youth, requiring just a few years in the bottle.