Chateau La Reverence Grand Cru 2016
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Enthusiast
Wine -
Suckling
James
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
The wines have a dense and full-bodied character reinforced by the inclusion of top-quality cabernets francs in the blend.
50% Merlot, 50% Cabernet Franc
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
This is a fascinating wine because of the high proportion of Cabernet Franc in the blend. That confers a richly perfumed character while the bold Merlot ripeness brings black-fruit flavors to the firm, young tannins.
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James Suckling
I like the mint and bitter-chocolate character of this bold and supple St.-Emilion that’s not hard to enjoy or understand. A blend of 50 per cent merlot and 50 per cent cabernet franc. Drink or hold.
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Petit is a young, dynamic up-and-coming winemaker specialized in producing outstanding garage/boutique wines at value prices on Bordeaux's right bank. He learned how to make wine under the guidance of famous oenologist Jean-Claud Berrouet (Petrus) and Catherine Cohen. Today he is a rising star and also owns Chateau Tournefeuille and Chateau L'Ecuyer.
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.