Chateau Saint-Pierre 2013

Characteristics and Tasting Notes for Château Saint-Pierre 2013

Tasting Notes

Color
A deep garnet hue with brilliant ruby highlights, reflecting fine concentration and masterfully controlled extraction.

Nose
The bouquet reveals remarkable aromatic complexity, with notes of blackcurrant and black cherry accompanied by smoky nuances. With aeration, aromas of cedar, tobacco and spice box gradually emerge, enriched by toasted touches and subtle notes of forest floor that bring an elegant tertiary dimension.

Palate
The attack is fresh and well-balanced, revealing a silky texture carried by fine, well-integrated tannins. The palate unfolds with a lovely density of red and black fruit alongside a lively acidity that brings freshness. The tannins, supple at first in the mid-palate, gradually gain structure toward the finish, where notes of liquorice emerge. The whole is distinguished by its harmony and elegance, with a persistent finish marked by citrus accents and a slight tannic firmness that will soften with time.

Food and Wine Pairing
This wine pairs perfectly with roasted red meats, particularly lamb and beef. It also elegantly accompanies feathered game such as duck or pheasant, as well as furred game preparations like venison or wild boar. Dishes in mushroom or truffle sauce also make excellent partners, as does truffled poularde. For cheese lovers, opt for hard, aged cheeses.

Service and Cellaring
Château Saint-Pierre 2013 benefits from being decanted two to three hours before serving, allowing the tannins to soften and the aromas to fully unfold. Serve this wine at a temperature of 15.5 to 16°C to preserve its aromatic freshness and elegance. This vintage can be enjoyed until around 2028, a period during which it will express its full potential.

Other Characteristics
This wine has a medium body with a refined tannic structure that favors finesse over power. Its fruit-forward profile highlights the expression of the fruit while retaining lovely aromatic complexity.

An Elegant and Balanced Saint-Julien Despite a Demanding Vintage

The Estate
In Bordeaux, Château Saint-Pierre, a fourth-growth classified estate (Quatrième Grand Cru Classé) of 1855 in Saint-Julien, is today a 17-hectare property, a fragment of a former estate reunified since 1982. The current owner is the Triaud family, responsible for this reunification that restored the château's unity — vineyard, cellar and residence. Located at the heart of the village of Saint-Julien-Beychevelle, it stands out for an average vine age of 60 years and aging in barrels with 50% new oak.

The Vineyard
The vineyard of Château Saint-Pierre enjoys a privileged location at the heart of the Saint-Julien appellation, bordered by the prestigious Château Gruaud Larose and Château Ducru-Beaucaillou. The vines grow on Günzian gravel soils covering a clay-sandy subsoil, an ideal composition for the expression of Cabernet Sauvignon. With an exceptional average vine age of 60 years and a planting density of 10,000 vines per hectare, the vines yield grapes of remarkable concentration. Manual harvesting with plot-by-plot selection ensures that only the finest fruit reaches the cellar.

The Vintage
The 2013 vintage proved particularly demanding for Bordeaux winegrowers. A cool, wet spring delayed flowering, reducing potential yields. The mild summer that followed did not provide the warmth typically sought for Cabernet Sauvignon. Harvesting took place between October 8 and 15, with yields limited to 35 hectoliters per hectare. Despite these climatic challenges, rigorous selection meant that only 54% of the harvest was retained for the grand vin, ensuring optimal quality.

Vinification and Aging
Following a meticulous harvest, the grapes of Château Saint-Pierre 2013 are vinified in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, allowing precise control of fermentation temperatures. Plot-by-plot vinification in 76 tanks of varying capacities respects the expression of each section of the vineyard. Malolactic fermentation takes place directly in barrels, promoting better integration of the wine's components. Aging continues for 14 to 16 months in French oak barrels, 50% of which are new, providing structure and complexity while preserving the elegance of the fruit.

Grape Varieties
Cabernet Sauvignon (75 to 80%)
Merlot (15 to 19%)
Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot (complementary)