Chateau Pierre 1er 2020
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Suckling
James -
Parker
Robert - Decanter
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Dunnuck
Jeb
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Juicy fruit with crushed stone and a crunchy undertone. Blue fruits. Floral. Medium body. Linear fine tannins and a crisp finish. Citrusy undertones. Salty and minerally, too. Drink after 2025.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Deep purple-black colored, the 2020 Pierre 1er comes barreling out of the glass with bold scents of baked blackberries, stewed black plums and mince pie, plus hints of menthol, black olives and charcoal. The medium to full-bodied palate is packed with juicy black fruits, supported by finely grained tannins and bags of freshness, finishing long and layered.
Barrel Sample: 90-92 -
Decanter
Ripe blue fruits on the nose, chewy and plush tannins, but not too heavy or thick, more textured and finely mouthcoating but with ripe and cool blue fruits rather than heady perfumed black fruits which gives freshness more than overt power or concentration. Still quite sticky and chewy, ripe with plenty of fresh strawberry and cherry. Stops a little short, the texture just taking control but nice elements here. Feels well worked, just forward and overt right now. Does have an element of restraint and I like the gentle, defined salty touch on the end. Full and powerful right now, yet still with charm.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Lots of truffly earth, leather, flowers, espresso, and assorted red and black fruits emerge from the 2020 Château Pierre 1Er, a medium-bodied, focused, straight, elegant 2020. It opens up nicely with time in the glass and has enough structure to warrant just a few years of bottle age.
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Robert
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One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
Marked by its historic fortified village—perhaps the prettiest in all of Bordeaux, the St-Émilion appellation, along with its neighboring village of Pomerol, are leaders in quality on the Right Bank of Bordeaux. These Merlot-dominant red wines (complemented by various amounts of Cabernet Franc and/or Cabernet Sauvignon) remain some of the most admired and collected wines of the world.
St-Émilion has the longest history in wine production in Bordeaux—longer than the Left Bank—dating back to an 8th century monk named Saint Émilion who became a hermit in one of the many limestone caves scattered throughout the area.
Today St-Émilion is made up of hundreds of independent farmers dedicated to the same thing: growing Merlot and Cabernet Franc (and tiny amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon). While always roughly the same blend, the wines of St-Émilion vary considerably depending on the soil upon which they are grown—and the soils do vary considerably throughout the region.
The chateaux with the highest classification (Premier Grand Cru Classés) are on gravel-rich soils or steep, clay-limestone hillsides. There are only four given the highest rank, called Premier Grand Cru Classés A (Chateau Cheval Blanc, Ausone, Angélus, Pavie) and 14 are Premier Grand Cru Classés B. Much of the rest of the vineyards in the appellation are on flatter land where the soils are a mix of gravel, sand and alluvial matter.
Great wines from St-Émilion will be deep in color, and might have characteristics of blackberry liqueur, black raspberry, licorice, chocolate, grilled meat, earth or truffles. They will be bold, layered and lush.