Château Peyfaures : Dame de Coeur du Chateau Peyfaures 2007

A Merlot-Based Bordeaux Superieur with a Long, Luxurious Finish

Bordeaux Superieur wine estate Chateau Peyfaures was first founded in 1830 in the small Genissac hamlet of eastern Entre-deux-Mers, across the Dordogne from the Saint-Emilion and Pomerol appellations. The vines thrive in clay-limestone soils, cultivated with organic and biodynamic viticultural practices. The signature style of this Bordeaux Superieur property reflects a return to the traditional Bordeaux winemaking that was popular before modern practices became common. After a manual harvest, the grapes are crushed gently in a basket press. Spontaneous fermentation is then carried out using autochthonous yeasts only. The minimal intervention, parcel-by-parcel winemaking chosen by the Peyfaures team allows the vineyard to shine as the star of the show. The Dame de Coeur cuvée by Chateau Peyfaures is produced with an especially impressive block of old Merlot vines, blended with some Cabernet Franc. The 2007 vintage was aged for a period of 18 months in 100 new French oak barrels with a full malolactic fermentation taking place in barrel.

The Dame de Coeur du Chateau Peyfaures 2007 is a blend of 90% Merlot from the oldest vines of the estate with 10% of Cabernet Franc, whose quality was quite impressive in the 2007 vintage. Here, the latter adds a signature gravelly minerality to complement the ample, opulent fruit of the Merlot. In the glass, this Bordeaux Superior displays a rich purple color. On the nose, it combines aromas of jammy red fruit and blackberry, along with clove, nutmeg, vanilla bean and the spice of black pepper. The mouthfeel of this wine is quite succulent, with velvety smooth tannins and toasted, smoky nuances from the oak aging. The finish is long, luxurious and full of flavor. A wine whose fruity side can be enjoyed already in its youth, but which will evolve beautifully over time spent in the bottle.