Chateau Peyfaures 2015

A Stellar Bordeaux Superieur in a Fantastic Vintage

Established in 1830 in the pint-sized hamlet of Genissac in eastern Entre-deux-Mers, just across the Dordogne River from Saint-Emilion, is Chateau Peyfaures, an estate designated Bordeaux Superieur. The estate's vines are planted in the clay-limestone and cared for organic and biodynamic practices. At Chateau Peyfaures, the flagship grape is Merlot, which is carefully blended with Cabernet Franc and a touch of Cabernet Sauvignon. The winemaking seeks to return to the traditional ways of Bordeaux, with the grapes crushed gently in a traditional basket press and spontaneous fermentation allowed to take place with native, naturally-occurring yeasts only. A minimal intervention, plot-by-plot approach allows the terroir to shine through in wines with a layered complexity. The aging (how much oak and how long) is adjusted to the needs of each individual vintage.

The Chateau Peyfaures 2015 is a fantastic example of the estate's Grand Vin in a great vintage. The clay soils of the vineyard counterbalanced the high temperatures during the summer months, allowing the grapes to reach good balance and depth. Cabernet Franc ripened beautifully in this vintage, which explains the higher proportion of this grape in the blend. Cabernet Franc here contributes a certain gravelly minerality, which complements the opulence and generosity of the Merlot. The blend is 95% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the wine was aged in 100% French oak barrels (of which 1/3 was new) for a period of 15 months. The result is a rich, full-bodied Bordeaux red with concentrated flavors of black fruit, structured tannins and layers of spice on the palate.