Chateau Clement Pichon 2018
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Suckling
James - Decanter
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Currants, blackberry leaves, gravel and fennel seed on the nose. Some iodine, too. It’s medium-bodied with firm, tight tannins. Savory, iron character on the finish. Try from 2024.
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Decanter
Consistent property with the same owners as La Dominique in St-Emilion, producing here a sappy, enjoyable Haut-Médoc with plenty of vigour. The tannins are a little severe right now, and it needs a few years to soften. 30% new oak. Drinking Window 2023 - 2036
Other Vintages
2022-
Suckling
James - Decanter
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Suckling
James
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Suckling
James - Decanter
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Enthusiast
Wine -
Suckling
James -
Dunnuck
Jeb
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Spectator
Wine -
Enthusiast
Wine -
Suckling
James
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Enthusiast
Wine -
Suckling
James
The present-day chateau, one of the most impressive in the Médoc, was built 1880 by the the Barons Pichon in the pure Renaissance style, like Chambord and Chenonceaux. Clément Fayat acquired the chateau in 1976 and renamed it Clément Pichon in 1985. The 70 hectare estate (175 acres) includes a listed pond, a bird preserve, and 25 hectares (62 acres) of beautiful grounds, as well as a vineyard. Several works of contemporary art are scattered around the grounds.
Viticulture and winemaking are done in conjunction with the famous consultant Michel Rolland. The Fayat family also owns Chateau Fayat in Pomerol and Chateau La Dominique, a Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classé
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.
One of the most—if not the most—famous red wine regions of the world, the Medoc reaches from the city of Bordeaux northwest along the left bank of the Gironde River almost all the way to the Atlantic. Its vineyards climb along a band of flatlands, sandwiched between the coastal river marshes and the pine forests in the west. The entire region can only claim to be three to eight miles wide (at its widest), but it is about 50 miles long.
While the Medoc encompasses the Haut Medoc, and thus most of the classed-growth villages (Margaux, Moulis, Listrac, St-Julien, Pauillac and St. Estephe) it is really only those wines produced in the Bas-Medoc that use the Medoc appellation name. The ones farther down the river, and on marginally higher ground, are eligible to claim the Haut Medoc appellation, or their village or cru status.
While the region can’t boast a particularly dramatic landscape, impressive chateaux disperse themselves among the magically well-drained gravel soils that define the area. This optimal soil draining capacity is completely necessary and ideal in the Medoc's damp, maritime climate. These gravels also serve well to store heat in cooler years.